Legend of Zelda: The Mask of Shadow
by Maiku Arevir
Summary: Follows a young man as he is sent far from home into the world of Legend of Zelda: Orcarina of Time. He goes along with the plot for a while but interferes after awhile. R&R! Please! I really need feedback!!! *FINISHED AT LAST!!!! ^_^*
1. Prologue

**Legend of Zelda: The Mask of Shadow**   
  


**-Prologue-**

  
  


_Sometimes, a wish can come true. This story is of such a person who gets what he wishes for. His name is Mike, he is an avid player of Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and always wishes that he would be able to walk in Link's Kokiri Boots for at least a while. But he never took the phrase "be careful what you wish for, it may come true" to heart. It all starts on a beautiful spring afternoon in April..._   


"Ugh," he said to himself, "Another boring day at school.... My life is wasting away right before my eyes!". He was walking home at 4:00 P.M. on Wednesday, a typical routine for him. He stopped in his tracks and shuddered for no apparent reason; to him, something just didn't feel quite right today. But he ignored the thought and continued walking home. His body suddenly went cold all over, even though it was nice and sunny out. He walked faster.   


He arrived home sooner than he usually does, and turned on his Nintendo 64 with _The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time _in it and started up a new game slot and inputted the name he usually puts in, "_Maiku_". He sighed.   


"For at least one time, I would like to actually experience what Link does. But I know that will not happen, this is reality."   


The screen went black to signify that the game is going to start. However, this time the screen turned white and exploded into a blue funnel. He jumped back in surprise, toppling backwards off of the black leather chair he sat on and felt like he was getting pulled into the T.V. He grabbed onto the chair to resist getting pulled in. He struggled to keep his grip on the couch, but realized that the suction power was increasing by the second. He lost his grip and grabbed onto the ottoman that is in front of the T.V., the chair gave less of a grip to him, and he was pulled into the T.V., screaming the whole way. 

  
  


¤ ¤ ¤ 

  
  


He fell head first through a tunnel of blue light, looking around to things outside the tunnel and upon noticing the layout of Hyrule he realized that he was getting absorbed into the game itself. He found himself in midair in the Triforce. The Triforce glowed in a soft golden light and enveloped him in, he felts his body shrink into that of a kid, his clothing changed from black jeans and a black shirt to a green oversized shirt and brown boots, his ears lengthed into that of elves or Hylians. He lost consciousness. 


	2. Chapter 1: Awakening in Kokiri Forest

**_-Chapter 1: Kokiri Forest-_**

  
  
  
  
  
  


He found himself in a dream, it was night, thunder clouds enveloped the night sky. He appeared to be in front of a castle drawbridge. The drawbridge lowered, and a white horse ridden by a woman and a young girl raced towards him, causing him to run out of the way. A black horse approached him, and a middle aged man riding it glares at him, said something at him put his arm in front of him...   
  
  
  


¤ ¤ ¤ 

  
  
  
  


He was woken up by an annoying voice, "Hello, Maiku!" it said, "Wake up! The Great Deku Tree wants to speak with you! Maiku, get up!", he moaned, and rolled over, hitting the thing at the same time, sending it flying at the wall. It flew back at him and rammed itself into his side, and flew around him, "Hey c'mon! Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?!". He opened his eyes and yawned, then sat up, finding an light blue fairy in front of him. He opened his eyes wide and yelled out in surprise. "What the...?" he said, finding that his voice had been changed to that of a little kid, and he sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the light blue ball with wings before him.   


_The hell...? _he thought to himself, _Isn't this..._   


"You finally woke up!" said the fairy   


"Who are you?" he said in a shaky voice   


"I'm Navi the fairy!"   


"What do you want?"   


"The Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on! Nice to meet you!"   


He groaned. "Oh... nice to meet you, too."   


"The Great Deku Tree has summoned you! So let's get going right now!"   


"Right....." he nodded reluctantly and got off the wooden bed. Leaving the building.   


He walked out of the building and onto a deck with a ladder leading down in the center, he turned around and looked up at the structure; he found that it was a tree, he turned around to face what seemed to be something like a forest. Ahead of him, a green haired girl in green clothes ran toward him. She stopped on a small hill, looked up, and waved to him, "Yahoo! Hi Maiku!" she said to him in an over enthusiastic tone. He walked over to the edge of the balcony and hopped over it, landing on his feet, suprised that when he hit the ground no pain shot through his legs. He approached her, knowing after realizing who the girl was, "Hi Saria." he said, Navi came out of the hat he was wearing.   


"Wow! A fairy!!"   


"Yeah? So?" he said with annoyance in his voice at the fairy   


"Finally, a fairy came to you, Maiku! Wow! That's great news! I'm so happy for you! Now you're a true Kokiri, Maiku!"   


He tilted his head to one side, trying to sort out things, "The Great Deku Tree wants to speak with me."   


"Is that right? The Great Deku Tree has summoned you?"   


"Yes."   


"It's quite an honor to talk to the Great Deku Tree! I'll wait for you here. Get going! Go see the Great Deku Tree!"   


He ran away from her and wandered the area. Finally realizing where he is, he stops, _This is..._ he thinks to himself,_ ... Kokiri Forest... but.... how....? Was it that...?_ Navi comes out of his hat again, "C'mon Maiku! Hurry up! The Great Deku Tree is waiting for you!" she says. "Alright, alright!" he said, grabbed her, and tossed her away, she flew back to him, rammed herself into his forehead about three times and went into his hat again. Since he now knew where he is, he headed toward where The Great Deku Tree was.   
  
  
  


¤ ¤ ¤ 

  
  
  
  


He approached a boy, "Hey you! 'Mr. No Fairy!' What's your business with the Great Deku Tree? Without a fairy, you're not even a real man!" the boy boy said. Navi to fly out of his hat again, "What?! You've got a fairy?! Say what?" the boy said dumbfounded.   


He knew who this annoying and uptight boy was, "Let me pass, Mido! The Great Deku Tree has summoned me!"   


"The Great Deku Tree actually summoned you?"   


"That's what I said."   


"Whaaaaaaat?!"   


"...."   


"Why would he summon you and not the great Mido?"   


"Heh."   


"This isn't funny... I don't believe it! You aren't even fully equipped yet!"   


"So what?"   


"How do you think you're going to help the Great Deku Tree without both a sword and shield ready?"   


"Like you should talk, you don't even have them either."   


"What? You're right, I don't have my equipment ready, but... If you want to pass through here, you should at least equip a sword and shield! Sheesh!"   


He walked away from Mido, and walked back to; Saria and told her that Mido won't let him pass. "What?!" she said, "Mido won't let you go to see the Great Deku Tree?" "Yeah." he answered.   


"Ohh...That bum! I don't know why he's always so mean to everyone! What he said is true, though."   


"Why?"   


"The forest...strange things have been happening lately... You need to be ready for anything. You'd better find a weapon! You can buy a shield at the shop, but there is only one sword hidden somewhere in the forest."   


"Alright." He headed towards the Kokiri Training Grounds and went into the hole in the wall to where the sword was; he made his way through the small maze and avoided the big rolling boulder, he reached a treasure chest and opened it and found the Kokiri Sword in it. Navi comes out of his hat again, "This is a hidden treasure of the Kokiri, but you can borrow it for a while. Be sure to practice with it before you really fight!" she said, he ignored her.   


He checked an inner pocket of his tunic he had been wearing ever since he woke up in the Kokiri Forest, and found rupees equaling to forty in value just enough to buy a shield.   


He turned away from the chest and exited the small maze. Upon exiting it, he ran to the shop. A girl sitting above the door started to say something, but he ignored her and ran inside. Once inside, he went to the counter. "Hello, I would like to buy a shield please." he said as he took out forty rupees to cover the charge for the shield, the attendant at the counter took the money and gave him the Deku Shield. He left the shop and equipped the sword and shield and went to Mido.   


"If you want to see the Great Deku Tree you have to be at least equipped properly." Mido said as he noticed him, "Eh, what's that?!" he noticed the Deku Shield, "Oh, you have a Deku Shield..." he noticed the Kokiri Sword, "And what's THAT?! Is that the Kokiri Sword?!".   


"Yep," he answered Mido's question in annoyance,   


"GOOD GRIEF!! Well, even with all that stuff, a wimp is still a wimp, huh? I, the great Mido, will never accept you as one of us! Shoot! How did you get to be the favorite of Saria and the Great Deku Tree? Huh?!" Mido walked out of the way, grumbling the whole time. He walked past him, and went on his way to visit the Great Deku Tree. 


	3. Chapter 2: Meeting the Great Deku Tree

**_Chapter 2: Meeting The Great Deku Tree_**

  
  
  


He walked through a passageway covered by overgrowth, he drew his sword and shield out. A Deku Baba sprouted out of the ground, the overgrown snapping flower caused him to jump back in surprise and raise his shield for protection. He slowly approached it, and saw that it wasn't much of a threat. It just stood erect, snapping its mouth-like flower pod, twisting sometimes. He passed by it, two more Deku Babas spouted out of the ground. As a reaction, he built up strength into his right arm which held the short sword and unleashed his strength into all three Babas, chopping them down. He took the stems, and continued further.   


¤ ¤ ¤   


He entered a clearing with a gigantic tree in the center, a tree that appeared to have a face, The Great Deku Tree. Navi came out of his cap again and flew a little further than where he stood. 

"Great Deku Tree... I'm back!" she said. "Oh... Navi... Thou hast returned... Maiku... Welcome..." said The Great Deku Tree. 

"Eh... hi." he replied with absolutely no real care or concern in his voice. 

"Listen carefully to what I, the Deku Tree, am about to tell thee... Thy slumber these past moons must have been restless, and full of nightmares..." 

"Yeah... I guess." he lied even though he sounded sincere 

"As the servants of evil gain strength, a vile climate pervades the land and causes nightmares to those sensitive to it... Verily, thou hast felt it..." 

"...." he ignored the words without any concern 

"Maiku... The time has come to test thy courage... I have been cursed..." 

He groaned, "So? What do you want me to do about it?" he mumbled 

"I need you to break the curse with your wisdom and courage. Dost thou have courage enough to undertake this task?" 

He folded his arms over his chest, "Huh... what if I don't?" he said with a little hostility in his voice 

"Perhaps you do not yet have confidence in your abilities... Return to the Kokiri Forest to learn the skills of combat... When thou art ready, return here and speak with me..." 

"Okay, okay... I'm ready." 

"Then enter, brave Maiku, and thou too, Navi..." Maiku glared at Navi, "Navi the fairy..." continued The Great Deku Tree, "Thou must aid Maiku. And Maiku, when Navi speaks, listen well to her words of wisdom..." 

He growled under his breath, "Tch. Okay..." 

The Great Deku Tree created an opening large enough for him to walk through. He approached it, looked around one final time and entered. 


	4. Chapter 3: The Great Deku Tree

**_Chapter 3: The Great Deku Tree_**

  
  
  
  
  
  


As he entered, he decided to finally go by Maiku since everyone he had talked to had been calling him by that. He looked around. In the center of the room was a huge hole covered by a big spiderweb, he approached it and drew his sword. He kneeled when he reached the hole and slashed at the webbing. The webbing was too thick to cut through, he had to find another way to cut through it. A Big Deku Baba sprouted from out of the ground behind him, Navi came out of his hat. "Maiku!" she screamed. "What do you want now, Navi?!" he replied, obviously annoyed. 

"Look out behind you!" 

"Wha?" He glanced over his shoulder and saw the Baba, it lunged at him, he rolled out of the way and drew his shield. He faced it, and jumped at it, hit and killed it. He searched around in some bushes near where the Baba was and found some rupees in them. He walked up to a wall overgrown with roots, Navi flew behind him. "Hm..." she said, "You can climb this wall...". He grabbed and clutched her, "I know I can climb this wall, Navi!" he yelled at her, "I am not a simple boy who knows nothing about the world! Hell, I have a ladder in front of my house!" 

"Oh, uh... " 

"Yeah, that's what I said, shut the hell up!" 

"Okay..." 

"Only come out when I tell you to, alright?" 

"Okay." Sadly, Navi flew into his hat. He climbed up the overgrowth. 

When he reached the top, he followed a path to a treasure chest, he opened it. Inside he found a map. He continued up the path and went through a door at the top. He entered a long but narrow room with a plant in the center; he drew his sword, and approached the plant. Already knowing what is within the plant, he built up some upper body strength to the maximum to that of a child and thrusted the sword into it, he heard a scream of a Deku and took the sword out of the ground. 

The door ahead of him opened, and he entered. In the next room, a flimsy looking block floated in the air in front of him. He jumped onto it, ran to the other side of it, and leapt off of it, rolling on the ground on his side as he reached the other side, stopping as he hit something with his body. He stood up and noticed that he bumped into another treasure chest. He opened it and found.... a Fairy Slingshot! 

He looked to where he was when he walked into the room and found a ladder above the doorway. He aimed and shot the ladder, causing it to fall. He jumped off the small cliff he is on, rolled on the ground, climbed up the ladder, and went to the main room. He killed the Skutullawallas with the slingshot and climbed up the wall on the overgrowth. When he reached the top, he let go of the overgrowth. As he approached a ledge, a huge Skulltula fell in front of him. He jumped back and armed his sword, waited for the spider to expose its soft underbelly slashed and killed it. He leapt down onto the web, broke the webbing, and fell through, into water. 

When he splashes down and surfaces, he climbed out and looked around. He appeared to be in some kind of small cavern with a subterranean river running through the center. A staff lay of the ground. He picked it up, and took a running start, slamming the staff into the ground and leapt across a small underground river. Still holding onto the staff, he ran at a torch and set the top of the staff ablaze; then he set another patch of web covering a hole on fire. After the fire stopped, he dropped down the hole, into water again. 

He got out of the water, and found three Deku bushes. He did as he done to the other one, and killed them in the right combination.... 

2.... 

3.... 

1.... 

A door opened, and he entered into a dark foggy room.   


¤ ¤ ¤ 

  


The door slammed shut behind him. He heard a sound of something scraping on the ceiling, he looked up and saw a gigantic spider, Queen Gohma, the Armored Arachnid. 

Remembering how to kill it, he took the slingshot from out from the inner pocket of his tunic and waited for the chance to attack, aiming at it the whole time; he saw the chance and seized it. He shot Gohma in the eye, causing it to fall to the ground. 

Instead of repeatedly slashing it with his sword, he lunged at its multi-colored flashing eye and drove the sword into it. Gohma witherd, convulsed, and went limp, falling to the ground. He took the sword out of the body, and placed it back into its sheath. Gohma bursted into blue flames, obviously dead. 

"Hmph, easier to kill this way than the usual method..." he said to himself, a pillar of light formed next to him. He walked into it, and was trasported out. 


	5. Chapter 4: The Great Deku Tree's Death

**_Chapter 4: The Great Deku Tree's Death_**

  
  
  
  


He landed outside of the Great Deku Tree. "Well done, Maiku... Thou hast verily demonstrated thy courage... I knew that thou wouldst be able to carry out my wishes..." said the Great Deku Tree. "Eh, it was nothing..." he replied with an overconfident certainty in his voice. 

"Now, I have yet more to tell ye, wouldst thou listen..." 

"Nah..." 

"No, Maiku... Thou must know my time is short..." 

".... Alright..." he said with a unconcerned tone 

"Now... listen carefully... A wicked man of the desert cast this dreadful curse upon me... This evil man ceaselessly uses his vile, sorcerous powers in his search for the Sacred Realm that is connected to Hyrule... For it is in that Sacred Realm that one will find the divine relic, the Triforce, which contains the essence of the gods..." 

"The Triforce?" he suddenly became interested in what the Great Deku Tree had to say 

"Before time began, before spirits and life existed. Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule." started the Great Deku Tree, "Din, the goddess of power; Nayru, the goddess of wisdom; and Farore, the goddess of courage. Din, with her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore, with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law. The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world. Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence. And, the resting place of the triangles has become the Sacred Realm." 

"Wow... interesting story, Great Deku Tree..." he yawned as he sat up from his spot in the smooth grass where he lay 

"Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce... Thou must never suffer that man, with his evil heart, to enter the Sacred Realm of legend... That evil man who cast the death curse upon me and sapped my power..." 

"Don't worry, I'll get him!" 

"Because of that curse, my end is nigh... Though your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, I was doomed before you started..." 

He narrowed his eyes, "WHAT?! You mean that what I did back there was meaningless?! Agh... um... will you die soon?" 

"Yes, I will pass away soon... But do not grieve for me... I have been able to tell you of these important matters... This is Hyrule's final hope. Maiku, go now to Hyrule Castle. There, thou will surely meet the Princess of Destiny. Take this stone with you. The stone that man wanted so much, that he cast the curse on me..." 

A green light enveloped his hand, the light faded, and a green jewel rested in his hand, The Sprirtual Stone of Forest, the Kokiri's Emerald. 

"The future depends on thee, Maiku... Thou art courageous... Navi the fairy... Help Link to carry out my will... I entreat ye... Navi...Good...bye..." The Great Deku Tree's trunk turned a dark brown color and became petrified, its leaves became autumn colors, some fell off. Maiku didn't really seem to care much. Navi turned towards Maiku, "Let's go to Hyrule Castle, Maiku!!", she turned toward the dead Great Deku Tree, "Good-bye...Great Deku Tree...". 

Maiku ran off towards the village, Navi followed along shortly after.   
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 5: Maiku's Departure

**_Chapter 5: Maiku's Departure_**

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Maiku arrived at the gate to the village, only to be stopped by Mido. "Hey, Maiku! What did you do?! The Great Deku Tree...did he...die?" he asked him. 

"Yes." Maiku replied with a stern maturity in his voice. 

"How could you do a thing like that?! It's all your fault!!" he screams in Maiku's face 

"No it isn't!" he yells back 

"Hmph." Mido walked out of the way before even giving him a chance to respond. 

"Sheesh, what's his problem?" He walked away from Mido, and headed towards and through the tunnel that lead to the outside world. He arrived at a firmly structured log bridge. "Oh, you're leaving..." said Saria as she appeared out of nowhere, causing him to stop, "I knew that you would leave the forest someday, Maiku...". 

"What made you think that?" he asked with obvious curiosity. 

"Because you are different from me and my friends. But that's OK, because we'll be friends forever won't we?" 

"Uh... sure..." he assured her with uncertainty in his voice 

She made a Ocarina appear in her hand, "I want you to have this Ocarina, please--" 

He kept his hands to his sides and shook his head "No, it's alright, you can keep it. I know what we can do instead of you giving me that Ocarina." 

"What?" 

"Make an Ocarina together. It can show out friendship even more by something that we both took time in making." he implied 

"I see..." 

"Is there any special materials around the forest?" 

"Um... yes... but..." 

"But what?" 

"Those materials are sacred. If we use the wrong one--" 

He put his hands on her shoulders "Don't worry yourself, Saria. It'll be okay." he assured her with concern for her 

"Are you sure?" 

"Sure I'm sure, c'mon." 

"O-okay... if you're positive..."   


¤ ¤ ¤   


Saria and Maiku spent an hour looking for the sacred materials used to create a special Ocarina. The material came from a tree found deep within the Lost Woods called the _Ankoku_. This tree was believed to hold mystical power of enormous quantities, driving whoever uses it to be something either evil or murderous. "You do know what can happen, right Maiku?" Saria asked timidly 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure." he assured her. 

"Alright, let's make your Ocarina..." 

They cut a large root of the tree off, and carved it into shape of an Ocarina, hollowing it out with magic. "Okay, Maiku..." Saria said hesitantly, "We're finished." 

"Thanks, Saria." he said with pure gratitude, "Thanks for your help." 

"No problem, Maiku. But just... be careful on your journey, okay?" 

"Don't worry, I will." 

"Well... I guess this is where we say 'goodbye', Maiku." 

He smiled and nodded, "Yes. Farewell, Saria." He walked off, out of the Lost Woods and out of Kokiri Forest. 


	7. Chapter 6: Hyrule Field

**_Chapter 6: Hyrule Field_**

  
  
  
  
  


Maiku walked out of the long tunnel tunnel leading from Kokiri Forest into bright sunlight, the sun's rays bathed him in its radiant heat, a good feeling to him considering that he was just in a forest.   


He walked through a small bend, a giant owl perched on the branch of a tree called out to him, "Hoo hoot!" it said, "Maiku look up here!". It actually looked more fantastic before him than it did when he was back home in his home reality when he saw it as a object in the programming of the game in all of its polygonal splendor. Now in front of this oversized bird, he thought it looked rather exquisite and mystifying.   


Even though he thought the owl was absolutely beautiful, he looked up reluctantly to face it, ".... What do you want?" he asked impatiently.   


"It appears that the time has finally come for you to start your adventure!"   


"So what? I was fated to do so anyway."   


"You will encounter many hardships ahead... That is your fate. Don't feel discouraged, even during the toughest times!"   


"I just said a shorter version of that." _Damn _a_nnoying oversized bird!_ he thought to himself   


"Go straight this way and you will see Hyrule Castle."   


He rolls his eyes "...."   


"You will meet a princess there..."   


"Yeah, I was told so by The Great Deku Tree."   


"All right then, I'll see you around! Hoot hoot hoot ho!" the owl flew away.   


"Yeah, yeah, yeah... fuck off, bird... next time you bother me... you die, its as simple as that."   


He decided to explore the field for a while, hoping to bask in the overwhelming joy he was feeling by the fact that he was no longer in the confinements of his home reality but in the land of Hyrule, home of Zelda and Link, along with the races that inhabit the area... the Zoras, Gorons, Hylians, and Gerudos. He sighed as he welcomed the bright and warm sunlight to wash over his body. He happily closes his eyes with his arms out spread, strangely embracing the clean air as if it were a dream he had been waiting for a long time to be a part of.   


He followed a dirt trail that lead to a walled town, the sun started to set. Seeing this, he sprinted with all the speed he could summon up. The drawbridge started to rise, "Agh! Damnit!" he said to himself as he reached the edge of the moat, almost falling into the water, "The drawbridge will come down in the morning, guess I'd better rest up to pass the time. But the Stalchild will be out... damn..." he looked around and saw a ranch in the center of Hyrule Field, "LonLon Ranch... yeah, I'll be able to rest there.... but time passes so fast on these grounds... guess I should wait..." Hours passed unusually quickly, confounding him to a blank stupor, the sun rises, and the drawbridge lowered. Seeing this, he ran into the town..... 


	8. Chapter 7: Hyrule Town Market

**_Chapter 7: Death in Hyrule Town Market_**

  
  
  
  
  
  


Maiku walked into the center of the Hyrule Town Market, a busy marketplace that was probobly the only busy place in Hyrule that rests at the foot of a hill with a castle on the summit. He looked around; spotted the Happy Mask Shop, then the Bazaar. He also noticed that the city was bigger than he had been lead to believe from the safety of his home. As he headed towards the Bazaar, Navi emerged from out of his cap. "Maiku?!" she said, he stopped and turned to face her. "What?" he asked, annoyed that she even came out to bother him.   


"Why aren't you heading for the castle?"   


"I just need to buy some equipment, Navi. Is there anything wrong with that?"   


"Oh.... no, there's nothing wrong with it...."   


"Good..." he continued to approach the Bazaar, and entered when he reached the door. Inside, he found a big and muscular man of about 40 or so... behind the counter, he approached him. "What do you want, little boy." said the man, "Getting something for daddy?" he said in a tone intended to tease him. Maiku sighed impatiently, "Do not look down on me just because I am young!" he said, "Besides.... my parents aren't even in this town. But yes, I am going to buy something."   


"You?! A customer?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" the man laughed at him loudly   


He narrowed his eyes, "I'm serious..." he said in a firm tone   


"Stop joking!"   


".... Just let me buy something, I have money...."   


"Alright, just don't start crying! Take your pick."   


Maiku sighed in annoyance, "Bombs..."   


"Okay- what?! Bombs?!"   


"That's what I said...:"   


"What do you need those for?!"   


"To uh...." he thought of something to say without implying his true intentions, ".... clear.... paths. Now.... give them to me..."   


"NO!"   


"Huh.... come again?"   


"No!!"   


"'No' huh?" he unsheathed his sword, "I said... give me the bombs..."   


The man crossed his arms over his chest, "Violent little boy, ain't ya...?"   


"You have no idea...." he climbed onto the counter, "I do what I must, give me the bombs... or else you will die...". "Maiku!!" screamed Navi, which caused him to look back at her, "What are you doing?!"   


"What's it look like....?" he sneered and turned his attention back to the man, "I'm going to tell you one more time... give me the bombs!!!". "For the last time...." said the man, "NO!!"   


"Heh.... it's... your life..." He lunged at the man, and rested on his back, slightly running the blade of the short sword over the throat of the man, "I didn't really want to hurt you...." he said cooly, almost childishly, ".... It's just that.... you're supposed to supply me with anything I wanted to buy....." the blade cut the flesh, which caused the man's blood to trickle down his neck. Maiku smiles, he spun the Kokiri Sword in a crudely elegant fashion with his right hand and stabbed the man's spine, causing the man to gruffly cry out in pain, withdrew the sword from the man's back and jumped onto the counter, he then slashed the man's chest diagonally, slicing the flesh and muscles in his chest as blood sprayed from out of the wound in a fountain of blood. He paid little attention to anything surrounding him, only the agonized yells of the man. Strangely, none of the blood even did so much as staining him or his tunic. With another diagonal slash, he had cut an "X" in the man's chest. The man's bleeding stopped, he grabbed a bag marked "Bombs", and resheathed the sword.   


He left the shop with the bag slung over his shoulder and headed for the Happy Mask Shop with a slight grin, while he successfully maintained the innocent exterior of a child. He entered, and found the shop to be open. He walked to the counter. "Hello little boy." said a man behind the counter, almost startling him. He looked up to glance at the man, he was skinny with light yellow skin and had a very happy expression on his face, which scared him, "What can I do for you?"   


"I would like to see your masks."   


"Okay," the man took out six various masks, each were interesting in their own respects.   


He groaned in disapproval.   


"Is anything the matter?"   


"Don't you have any other masks...? I think you probobly do...."   


The man started to sweat but still maintain his smile, "H-how did you know?"   


He smirked, "I have my ways.... I feel that you have a mask that is incredibly powerful.... now... where is it?"   


"I- I cannot tell you."   


"Oh," he unsheathed his sword, "you can't?". He jumped onto the counter, "My sword seems to think differently..." At the corner of his eye he spotted two particular masks that sparked an interest in him, "Ah, there they are...!" he hopped over the counter and took both masks, he smiled to himself then jumped over the counter again. He faced the man again, he placed the masks into his tunic and reached into the bomb bag.   


Navi nudged his shoulder, "Maiku! Don't do this! Please!" she screamed   


He turned around to face her, he growls under his breath, "Dammit! Would you just shut the hell-" he backhanded her towards a wall, "-up!".   


She weakly flitted her wings and lightly flew upwards to the side of the door.   


He took out four bombs, saw that their fuses lighted automatically, he smirked at the man evily. "Heh, I knew you had those masks....," he said as he tossed the bombs into each corner of the shop, he took out the Fairy Slingshot, "It pains me to do this, you know...." he pulled back the shot, "..... nah..... that's just my conscience talking... oh well. I will not kill you right now, on the contrary...." he unleashed the shot, not using a Deku Seed but a large peice of metal, "... I shall make you wish I would of killed you at this moment."   


The shot hurled through the air, and made contact with its target. The metal peirced the man's chest, barely severing his heart. Blood instantly started to trickle from out of the wound, the man breathed hard. "P-please..." the man said, ".... don't do this.... have mercy on me....."   


He narrowed his eyes at the pale and pathetic man as he put the slingshot back into his tunic, he grinned, grasped Navi, and ran out of the shop. He ran out screaming in a false act of terror and dove onto his stomach making sure not to damage the masks as the shop exploded, sending peices of wooden planks into the air. Everyone in town stopped from their dealings and bargainings, screamed and ran towards the burning ruins of the shop while he got up from the ground, brushed his tunic to be free of dirt, walking away from the burning ruins, towards Hyrule Castle. 


	9. Chapter 8: On the way to meet Zelda

**_Chapter 8: Hyrule Castle_**

  
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He arrived at the summit of the hill onto the castle grounds, he looked up at a nearby tree and saw the owl that he didn't care too much about resting atop it. As he walked up to the vine ladder, the owl tried to say something that stated the obvious so he ignored it.   


He reached the top of the rock wall, and ran towards the stone gate that lead a road towards the castle; he glanced carefully at the guard in the meadow who was facing him. Luckily, he is not caught as he leapt off of the gate, softly landing on the dirt trail. He continued to run towards the castle, but turned sharply to the left as he approached the two guards on the road, he ran towards a wall off in the distance, climbing up the rock wall. He jumped into the moat off of a small cliff. He swam in the direction of the current and climbed out as he reached a small harbor big enough to allow a child the opportunity to climb to the access tower. He walked to his left and discovered a man sleeping. He walked next to the man's head and kicked him, waking him up. He recognized at once who it was; Talon, father of Malon of the Lon Lon Ranch.   


"What in tarnation?" Talon says as he jumps to his feet, Maiku discovered that he even talked with a southern accent, which amused him, "Can't a person get a little shut-eye around here?"   


"I am sorry for waking you up, sir." Maiku falsely apologized   


"Hello, and who might you be?"   


"I am Maiku! I believe you are Talon.... am I correct?"   


"Yep, I'm Talon, the owner of Lon Lon Ranch."   


"What are you doing here?" he said harshly   


"I went to the castle to deliver some milk, but I sat down here to rest, and I   
guess I fell asleep..."   


He thought back of the events of him playing the game involving Malon and Talon, "Uh... Malon, your daughter is looking for you." he replied   


"What?! Malon was looking for me?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah."   


"I'm gonna catch it from her now! I messed up bad, leaving Malon behind to wait for me! She's really gonna let me have it!" without even saying a word, he ran off, leaving Maiku confused and amused.   


"He's around his own daughter's finger..." He looked around, "Hm.... boxes, and child sized hole in the wall.... hmmm..." He pushed the boxes with all of his strength, nearly taking up what seemed like a half an hour, "Damn, these boxes were heavier than they looked. At least I made the path..." He climbed onto the box, took a running start, and leapt across the moat, sliding into the hole, entering the gardens of Hyrule Castle.   


He got up from the water and for the first time, actually looked at his reflection in the water. He pretty much looked the same as Link, whom he had taken the place of, but instead of being blonde, he still had his black hair that he had when he entered Hyrule for the first time. He glanced up from the water and saw the path that lead to the central garden. Surprisingly, he found no guards roaming the area, which scared him and relieved him. After seeing that no conflicts were to arise, he walked into the central garden. 


	10. Chapter 9: Zelda

**_Chapter 9: Zelda_**

  
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He walked into the center garden and noticed Princess Zelda at the far end. He ran across the small flower feild to her, when he stopped behind her, he smiled. "Uh... Hi." he said. Zelda let out a startled cry then spun around to face him, "Who?! Who are you? How did you get past the guards?" she said, still startled; she noticed Navi "Oh? What's that? Is that... a fairy?!"   


"Eh... yeah. But I don't see why you're so-."   


"Then, are you... Are you from the forest?"   


He nodded   


"Then...then...you wouldn't happen to have... the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, would you?! That green and shining stone..." she replied, "Do you have it?"   


"No...." he lied to see her reaction   


"Well, that's odd... I thought you might be the one from my dream... You really don't have it?"   


"....."   


"Tell me the truth..."   


"Okay okay! Jeez! Yeah I do have it."   


She giggled, "Just as I thought!" she looked away, "I had a dream... In the dream, dark storm clouds were billowing over the land of Hyrule... but suddenly, a ray of light shot out of the forest, parted the clouds and lit up the ground... the light turned into a figure holding a green and shining stone, followed by a fairy... I know this is a prophecy that someone would come from the forest..."   


"And let me guess.... you thought _I_ was the one?"   


"Yes, I thought you might be the one..." she realized that she was acting improper to her noble upbringing, "Oh, I'm sorry!   
I got carried away with my story and didn't even properly introduce myself! I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule." She looked into his eyes and tilted her head, "What is your name?"   


"Me? My name's Maiku."   


"Maiku..." she said thoughtfully, "Strange...it sounds somehow... familiar. OK then, Maiku.... I'm going to tell you the secret of the Sacred Realm that has been passed down by the Royal Family of Hyrule. Please keep this a secret from everyone..."   


"What if I don't?"   


"C'mon...don't be a blabber-mouth!"   


"All right... sure"   


"The legend goes like this: 

The three goddesses hid the   
Triforce containing the power of   
the gods somewhere in Hyrule. 

The power to grant the wish of the one who   
holds the Triforce in his hands. 

If someone with a righteous heart   
makes a wish, it will lead Hyrule   
to a golden age of prosperity... 

If someone with an evil mind has   
his wish granted, the world will   
be consumed by evil...That is what   
has been told... 

So, the ancient Sages built   
the Temple of Time to protect the   
Triforce from evil ones."   


"So...."   


"That's right... The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world. But the entrance is sealed with a stone wall called the Door of Time. And, in order to open the door, it is said that you need to collect three Spiritual Stones. And another thing you need...is the treasure that the Royal Family keeps along with this legend...   
_The Ocarina of Time_! Did you understand well the story I just told you?"   


"Yeah."   


"That's great! I forgot to tell you... I was spying through this window just now... the other element from my dream...the dark clouds... I believe they symbolize... that man in there!" she got out of his way so he can go to the window "Will you look through the window at him?"   


"Sure, don't see what kind of harm it can do." he stepped toward the window and peered into it, inside he saw a dark green skinned man with red hair walk towards someone and kneel.   


"Can you see the man with the evil eyes? That is Ganondorf, the leader of the Gerudos. They hail from the desert far to   
the west. Though he swears allegiance to my father, I am sure he is not sincere. The dark clouds that covered Hyrule in my dream... They must symbolize that man!" she said to him   


He gasped and ducked out of view when he saw Ganondorf glance towards him.   


"What happened? Did he see you?"   


"Yeah."   


"Don't worry. He doesn't have any idea what we're planning...yet!"   


"Have you told your father what you have seen in your dreams?"   


"........Yes. I told my father about my dream... However, he didn't believe it was a prophecy... but...I can sense that man's evil intentions! What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it! And, he wants to conquer Hyrule... no, the entire world! Maiku...now, we are the only ones who can protect Hyrule! Please!"   


"What makes you so sure about that?"   


"Please believe me.... my prophecies have never been wrong!"   


"Yeah sure."   


"Thank you!" her expression becomes saddened, "I...I am afraid... I have a feeling that man is going to destroy Hyrule.   
He has such terrifying power! But it's fortunate that you have come...We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it! You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him! One more thing..." she took out a peice of paper and quill feather and began writing something. After she finished writing, she handed it to him, "Take this letter... I'm sure it will be helpful to you."   


He felt the presense of someone near the garden entrance.   


"My attendant will guide you out of the castle. Don't be afraid to talk to her."   


He walks toward the woman at the garden entrance, "Hey..."   


"I am Impa of the Sheikahs. I am responsible for protecting Princess Zelda. Everything is exactly as the Princess foretold.   
You are a courageous boy... you are heading out on a big, new adventure, aren't you?"   


"Yes."   


"My role in the Princess's dream was to teach a melody to the one from the forest. This is an ancient melody passed down by the Royal Family. I have played this song for Princess Zelda as a lullaby ever since she was a baby... there is mysterious power in these notes. Now listen carefully..." she played a tune using her hand as a whistle, "Memorize this song..."   


He took out his black Ocarina and mimiced the song, learning _Zelda's Lullaby_.   


"If the castle soldiers find you, there will be trouble. Let me lead you out of the castle."   


¤ ¤ ¤   


He and Impa stand at the drawbridge of Hyrule. "You brave lad... We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule! Take a good look at that mountain." she motions for him to look at a distant active volcano. "That is Death Mountain, home of the Gorons. They hold the Spiritual Stone of Fire. At the foot of Death Mountain you will find my village, Kakariko. That is where I was born and raised. You should talk to some of the villagers there before you go up Death Mountain. The song I just taught you has some mysterious power. Only Royal Family members are allowed to learn this song. Remember, it will help to prove your connection with the Royal Family. The Princess is waiting for you to return to the castle with the stones. All right. We're counting on you!" She disappeared without warning, leaving him on the open field.   


He ran towards Kakariko Village and found four glass bottles next to a small stream, "I might need these," he picked them up, and filled all four of them with water. He continued on his way to the village.   


The village was more peaceful than it appeared as polygons, the structuring of the buildings were built with obvious care. He spotted the well, ran to it, sat on it, and looked around. He sighed. 


	11. Chapter 10: Changes

**_Chapter 10: Changes_**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Faced with the burden of his killing of a few innocent people, he now realized as he sat on the well in the center of Kakariko Village that word of his presence at both places where he had killed those shop keepers in Hyrule Town Market would spread throughout Hyrule. With this in mind, he reached into the upper part of his tunic and pulled out a mask that he took from the Happy Mask Shop before he blew it up, instantly enveloped with a sense of regret and depression. He suddenly started to regret his wish of diving into Hyrule during the beginning of the whole story that was concocted to just be seen as a fantasy, not once did he ever put enough foresight that an odd distortion in the planet earth's balance would truly exist, allowing him to emerge in this _'fictional' _land.   


He looked around the village again, breathed in the clean air that Hyrule had to provide. This couldn't be a deep dream; he could feel the stone of the well, the soft cushion of grass beneath his boots. Still, looking at the pale bluish silver of the Zora mask filled him with an unknown feeling of regret and anger at his actions. Those people did not deserve to die, but something had overwhelmed his body to commit those murders, he needed a cover until the whole thing blew over in its own way but there are too many people around to instantly disguise himself. He sighed and made himself fall backwards into the water.   


His body made contact with the water, allowing the mask to fall out his outstretched hands and fall slowly onto his face. Five aquatic tentacles emerged from the mask and wrapped around his head, the tentacles excrete a black oily liquid that enveloped his whole body, the liquids penetrated his skin and instantly flowed into his veins, sending an extremely excruciating burning sensation within his whole body, he screamed out but only bubbles came out with a muffled inhuman scream. His body grew to the standing height he had been before he came into Hyrule, a good five feet and six inches.   


His human eyes just seemed to dissolve from his eye sockets, allowing his crimson blood to ooze from out of his temporarily empty sockets and coat the water in a thick red hue. His skin becomes more pale and gains a light blue and silver coloration with some black and red portions on his back. His eye sockets fill with a black oil substance that hardened into two oval spherical eyes which slightly protruded from his eye sockets. His nose lengthened to two times its normal size.   


He frantically ripped his boots off of his feet when he felt his feet change form, his five toes became three with webbing between each toe. He felt his human skin become scales, he felt his body organs transform to adapt to the change within and outside him. He spread his fingers wide apart as he felt webbing grow between each. His body muscle enlarged enough to tear the small child sized tunic he was wearing off, revealing the well defined figure of a teen aged male Zora. His legs muscles defined themselves to suit a creature adept to swimming as a main transportation. From out of his arms came large and elegant fins patterned with a typical Zoran fin design but with shades of crimson, black, gray and cerulean. He felt the back of his head expand to become three feet long, two fish like fins made themselves protrude from out of the very back. Two more fins emerged from both sides of his waist.   


After this pain subsided, he plunged onto the depths of the well and became unconscious for a time to allow his body to become acquainted to its sudden changes. 


	12. Chapter 11: Confusion

**_Chapter 11: Confusion_**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


He felt a gentle tingling within his darkness in the well after a while. He instinctively snapped open his eyes from the innate tingling of his brain's message to him that he was in danger as he found himself in the deep blue narrowness of the well. He felt scared. Scared that he had died of drowning.   


He looked down expecting his cold lifeless body on the bottom of the well, but he saw nothing. Only the hard stone bottom of well floor. He stared straight up at the surface and swam up to the top. He inhaled and exhaled by instinct of his former self's mindset, but he felt kind of funny as he felt some slits in the side of his neck expand and contract, as well as twin hair thin slits expand and contract on his chest. He blinked, and stared upwards as he felt as though someone was watching him from afar; he convinced himself that he was just still feeling strange from the unconsciousness, but he could not piece together exactly how or why he was in the bottom of the well, he thought of this for no longer than thirty seconds before the thought made itself ripple out of his brain. His head felt numb, hurt, and confused. He climbed up the ladder and glanced back down into well to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, he saw none of his weapons down on the bottom but he gasps when he saw his reflection.   


"No..." he heard himself say quietly, finding that his voice had changed as well as his reflection, ".... this cannot be....". "What's the matter, mister?" he heard a young girl's voice.   


"What?" he said with signs of annoyance in his changed voice, he turned around to face her, "What do you want little one?"   


When she saw his face, she gasped in surprise, "A Zora? What are you doing in Kakariko Village?"   


He stared blankly at her   


"What is it mister?"   


He said nothing in response, only shut his eyes and fell to his knees with a sudden weakness, arms weakly to his sides. "What's the matter with me?" he replied glumly, "I...." he opened his eyes and glared at the girl angrily, "Get away from me!" he growled at her as he swung back his hand as a threat.   


The girl stumbled backwards and tried to keep herself balanced before she would cause herself to fall down the stairs, she cried out.   


He heard her scream and couldn't bear of having a tragedy such as a child's death plague his mind forever, so he rushed towards her with surprising speed that he thought he would've never been able to summon up in his life. He caught the young girl just before she fell, he cradled her in his strong Zoran arms and gently set her down on the ground next to the Cucco Pen near the graveyard path. He kneeled to be at eye level with the girl, "I am sorry, little girl." he apologized with honest sincerity in his now Zoran voice which sounded as if he where talking underwater with some crystal clarity in it, "I was just anguished about something."   


"Thank you for catching me, Zora." she thanked him with natural juvenile spunk in her voice.   


"My name's Maiku...."   


"Okay, Maiku. Thanks for catching me... I appreciate it, but... why did you seem surprised when you looked into the well?"   


"I uh... cannot answer that, sorry."   


"Why not?"   


"That is not to be anything of your concern!" he yelled at her, stood up, and stormed up to the Death Mountain gate. 


	13. Chapter 12: Death Mountain Ascent

**_Chapter 12: Death Mountain Ascent_**

  
  
  
  
  
  


_Things are not going how they are supposed to in the flow of things, _he thought to himself as he headed towards the Death Mountain gate, _Could my transportation into Hyrule somehow changed the flow events? Or could it of been been my own actions....? In any case, I don't think that I'll be able to take off this mask to become my former self for a while.... but I will do as Zelda asked me.... for my own intentions, of course. _He grinned evilly at the thought of gathering the Spiritual Stones of Fire and Water for his own means. He stopped when he arrived at the gate, a single guard stood before it. "Halt!" said the guard, pointing the spear on Maiku's finely scaled and muscular stomach, "The road is closed beyond this point!   
Can't you read the sign over there? Eh? Oh, I see. You're just a Zora, and you can't read. Ha ha hah!"   


He narrowed his eyes at the guard and casually pushed the spear head away, "Let me pass." he said in a firm voice with a small sign of annoyance, "I need to talk to Darunia." He searched around in the satchel embroidered with shells and a jell and water like substance, and took out the letter given to him by Zelda.   


"Oh, this is... this is surely Princess Zelda's handwriting! Well, let's see... hmmm... OK... _'This is Maiku... He is under my orders to save Hyrule.' _Wah ha ha ha hah! What kind of funny game has our Princess come up with now?!"   


"It's not a game..."   


"Why would Zelda need the aid of a Zora, when she could just have one of the castle guards do it?"   


"Do not question the Hylian Princesses' word!"   


"OK, OK, all right. You can go now... Just be careful, Mr. Hero! Wah hah ha ha hah!" The gate opened, "By the way, Mr. Hero... if you're going to climb Death Mountain, you should equip a proper shield! It is an active volcano, after all! If you go back to Hyrule Castle Town Market, you should check out the Bazaar. They sell the shield you need there. Tell 'em I sent you and they should give you a special discount! If you think you're good to go already, don't worry about it. Now, I'd like to ask a favor of you. No, I don't expect you to do it just because of the great tip I just gave you! I'm just asking! Have you been to the   
Happy Mask Shop that just opened in the Hyrule Castle Town Market? Everyone is talking about it! My little boy pesters me for a popular mask, but I don't have time to go there... So, could you go and get the mask for me next time you are in the Market? If you don't feel like it, that's OK, but... Well, I have no choice, this is my job..."   


"Haven't you heard of what happened in Hyrule Castle Town Market?"   


"No... what happened?"   


"I.... heard that.... someone.... murdered two shop keepers...."   


"W-who...?"   


"The guy at the Happy Mask Shop and the guy at the Bazaar."   


"Damn...."   


"Yes, unfortunate.... isn't it?" he replied coldly as he walked away, up to the trail. 

  


A short time after he set foot on the mountain trail, he started to feel dried out and dehydrated. "Ugh..... damn.... almost.... forgot about.... my Zora body's.... weakness to extreme... heat..... I am dehydrated..... becoming weaker by the passing moments..... water....." he gasped, mouth parched of moisture, having difficulty breathing, his gills started to stiffen and harden, his eyes were hot and they stung. His pace suddenly became a slow crawl as he felt himself become weaker by the second from the infernal burning sun.   


The mountain's sulfuric atmosphere didn't help him out either, the small traces of brimstone and ash burned his gills, making him feel as though he were trapped in a burning box with no doors or windows to allow him to escape. He gagged as a cloud of ash enveloped him and collapsed before reaching the safety of Goron City. 


	14. Chapter 13: Goron City

**_Chapter 13: Goron City_**

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Maiku, weakened and still in his Zoran body, awakened with a dry breathed groan; his throat and gills still burned with ashes. He looked around and groaned even louder when a stinging pain shot through his entire body, temporarily disabling him. "Don't move." He heard the voice of a female Zora say to him, "You're still weak."

"What…?" he said weakly, "Who are you?"

"I am a nurse, I was summoned here when I heard a Zora was on Death Mountain. I had no idea that you, such a cute and handsome young Zoran man like yourself, would be here."

"Most people I've met haven't said that I'm handsome…."

"Well I think you do. But I suppose that you'll aim for some one higher in Zora's Domain, am I correct?"

"Maybe…. Just depends if I go there or not….."

"Well, you have to."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, you're a Zora, Zoras don't live very long in Hyrule during the day."

"And your point is…?"

"I'm just saying that if you want to live longer, you should live in Zora's Domain or Lake Hylia."

"Where there's water basically…."

"Yeah."

"….. Later…."

"Oh… okay…. Just what were you doing here anyway?"

He strained his eyes to see this Zora he was talking to; the faint torches in the room did give off a gentle glow, but nothing good enough to give him good visibility. He felt suddenly afraid of the dark like he had been when he was a mere child years ago at the apartment his family had lived in for a few years of his child life, he wanted to see the Zoran nurse's face, but the gloom of the room had enveloped them both in thick darkness. 

He noticed a faint light in a far corner of the room and realized what it was, "Navi!" he yelled out.

"Maiku, you're finally awake I see." The fairy said as she flew towards him, showing the features of the nurse. 

The nurse was of a sleek and seductive feminine body structure. The finely shaped muscle structure of her arms and legs was small yet powerful, her face gentle and caring. 

He looked at her upper and lower torso, noticing that the nurse's abdomen was partially swollen, probably due to pregnancy; her breast were nice and shapely yet showed no obvious nipple like a human woman would be.

_Nice. He thought to himself, __I can see why she's pregnant. The lucky Zora that had her…_

"So, answer my question." She said impatiently

"Listen, I'm still weakened. If I could heal up, then I'll be okay and probably go to Zora's Domain later on, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good."

She smiled and stood up, he watched her walk out and sighed. "I might just go to Zora's Domain. After I'm done here." He thought back to what Zelda had said about the Stones. _There are two more stones left… he thought to himself, __one in __Death__Mountain__ which I know Darunia has. And the other belongs to Princess Ruto in Zora's Domain. Guess I'll play 'nice guy' with Darunia. He sat up and turned on the stone bed on which he had lain so that his legs can be bent and have his feet lay sturdily on the ground. He rubbed his face with his hands, feeling the smooth and slippery skin of his hands on is smooth and slippery face. _

"What's wrong Maiku?" Navi asked him, obviously concerned about him

"I'm just dehydrated, do you know where I can find my bottles of water?"

"Oh yes, they're by your bed." 

He reached down and picked up a bottle of water, popped the cork off weakly and put the rim to his mouth, allowing the crystal clear liquid to flow into his mouth. He felt the liquid splash down his throat and down into his body. The water started to secrete from his skin like sweat but wasn't sweat at all. He sighed in satisfaction, "I really needed that, thanks." He looked ahead, "Navi…"

"Yes, Maiku?"

"How did I end up here instead of dying on the trail."

"I left you and headed towards Goron City, where we are now, and had some Gorons bring you here."

"And how did the nurse know where I was?"

"I went to Zora's Domain and asked her to come here."

"How long was I out?"

"Three days. Maiku…. I think we should continue our journey instead of staying here."

"Yeah, of course." He took one last drink of water and glanced at Navi; he grinned at took a swipe at her with the bottle, catching her and placed the cork on the hole.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" 

"Relax Navi. I'll let you out when we leave Goron City." He said coolly

"Okay, I think I can trust you."

He held the bottle in front of him at arms length and headed towards the rocky door that served as the only entrance and exit of the small at dark room. "Your must be that Zora we found on the trail." A deep but gentle voice sounded from beside him as he exited the room, it startled him. "Yes, I am." He answered as turned to face the wide and harmless face of a Goron, trying not to sound startled, "My name is Maiku, can you tell me where Darunia is?"

"Of course." The Goron pointed into deeper darkness, "He's down there." 

"How deep does this go?"

"There are seven different floors to our city."

"And Darunia just had to be on the lowest one?"

"Yes, but I can give you quick transport to bottom."

"You…. Can?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You ride on Goron back."

"Kinda like Piggy Back?"

"Whatever that is, yes, I guess."

"Okay."

The Goron knelt before him, "Go on my back, I take you to Darunia."

"I don't know if I can trust you, but I guess I'll do it." He mounted the Goron's back like it were a horse or any other transportation animal, "Oh yeah, why is it so dark in here?"

"Night." The Goron replied as it leapt slightly towards the lowest level, into the deepest and darkest depths of the quarry-like city of stone. He hopped off of the Goron's back when he reached the bottom, and walked forward, but bumped into a wall, he heard the sound of broken glass and a tiny squeak, "Navi?" he said with some concern that is makeshift lantern had fallen

"Don't worry, I'm okay." Navi flew up to meet his face.

"It's so dark down here, even with you as my light I can't even see my own hands in front of my face."

"Can you still see me?"

"Partially."

"Okay, follow me." She flew ahead of him and she stopped when she found herself in front of a door, "Maiku, come here."

He followed her voice and felt the skin of his feet touch a mat. He remembered the song that Impa had taught him, "Navi, is there a Triforce symbol on the ground?" 

"Yes."

"Okay." He searched in his satchel and felt the smooth surface of his ccarina, a gentle red aura emanated from the instrument that illuminated the area around him. He placed the mouth piece of the ocarina to his lips and played Zelda's Lullaby. The doors slowly opened and slipped through the crack effortlessly because of his wet and smooth Zoran skin. The sound of deep snoring filled the hallway beyond the doors, and thunderous snore that seemed to shake the walls and the very ground on which he stood. He continued through the darkness and stopped at another set of doors. He pushed on the doors and pushed through into the chamber.

He was surprised to find that the chamber was well lit for its massive size, torches were lit in each corner on the ground and roof. The chamber was different than its game counter part, and a lot bigger. The large figure of a Goron lay in the center of the room, sleeping and snoring. He did not want to wait for morning, but he also didn't want to be killed by the Goron for waking it up, but he had to do the latter. He tapped the Goron's side, and saw its eyes snap open. He took a step back, and flinched when the creature yelled out in anger. "Y… you must be Darunia, right?" he asked.

His arms and legs contained a visibly larger amount of muscles that seemed to ripple with tightened veins, particularly his arms, which possessed hands larger than Maiku's head while he was still human. While other Gorons possessed a small potbelly, this Goron's belly protruded from his body like an uncontrollable growth, but it definitely didn't display any signs of sluggishness or lethargy. Stiff hair-like growth sprouted around the creature's face like a scruffy mane, and the Goron's face displayed a countenance of anger and sorrow blended into a dangerous concoction.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Darunia said as he glared at the odd Zora before him, "What is a Zora doing here?" his tone became furious and demanding. "This is unacceptable! Does my Sworn Brother the King really think this low of the Gorons so as to send a Zora as his Royal Messenger? I have enough problems already!" He then glared down at Maiku, who couldn't move at all. "Very well, Zora. What is the message from the King of Hyrule? Has he agreed to send help in ridding our mine of Dodongos?"

"Actually, no."

"Then what? Out with it!" 

"I… I am sent here by Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, to receive the Spiritual Stone which is a key to the Door of Time." He answered 

"Why would she not send a guard?" 

"Beats me…"

As Maiku finished speaking, Darunia's voice took over in a tone even more overpowering than before. "Again someone asks me for the Goron's Ruby! What is the world coming to? Is everyone trying to take advantage of the poor luck of the Goron Race? It's unacceptable! Completely unacceptable! So the King wants the Goron's Ruby, does he? Tell him no! I will _not_ give him the sacred treasure of our race, even if he _does_ come to help us get rid of the Dodongos! Tell my Sworn Brother that, 'Royal Messenger!' Now get out of my sight before I throw you out myself!"

"Hey calm down. I mean no harm."

Darunia reared back his arm, "If you don't get out now, Zora, then I will be forced to escort you out myself with a broken arm or worse."

Maiku stood ready for the hit, actually making himself prone for an attack. 

Darunia yawned put his arm down

"So, what do you mean by again someone asked you for the Goron's Ruby?"

"Oh, someone hailing from the desert."

"Ganondorf?"

"Yes. Anyway, he demanded that I give him the Goron's Ruby or else he'd destroy the entire mountain and take the jewel from our corpses."

He was shocked at the answer, mainly because he was expecting the game response of the blockage of Dondongo's Cavern. "So let me guess another problem…" he started, "…. Dondongo's Cavern is sealed as well?"

"Yes."

"And your mine for a precious rock is in the cavern?"

"Yes."

"I should also destroy King Dondongo, also?"

"Yes."

"Might as well…." He began to walk out.

"If you do liberate the cavern, then I'll give you the jewel."

"Sounds like a deal. I'll keep that in mind." He walked out of the room, through the darkness of Goron City, and onto the moonlit trail.


	15. Chapter 14: Quick Trip to Dondongo's Cav...

**_Chapter 14: Quick Trip into Dondongo's Cavern_**

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He put the crimson colored Goron Tunic that he had "borrowed" from the shop in Goron City. _Okay, he thought to himself, __I should be able to survive better with this on, even if it is uncomfortable. He had gotten used to walking around with nothing on, as a human he never thought like this before. He stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the mouth of the cavern and saw the area above the cavern mouth where he could stand. He pulled a bomb out of his satchel and leapt toward the platform and tossed it down onto the boulders blocking the entrance._

He landed on the place where he intended but was sent backwards by the bomb blast. The blast seemed to sear through his body, which would kill someone normal; he landed on his back. He coughed and got up off of the ground, the ground beneath him gave away, causing him to fall into the darkness below.

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He landed flat on his back in a room with a large lava pit in the center. With a groan, he rolled over onto his stomach. _This Hero crap is a bitch…he thought glumly to himself as he lifted himself off of the ground …I'd__ better get something good out of this. Of course I'll get something; I'll get the Spiritual Stone of Fire. His spirits lifted. He looked around, and his breathing deepened. "This heat…." He said to himself and noticed something across the lava pool and in a far corner of the room, "What the…?"_

The thing approached him, causing the ground beneath his feet to be inadvertently moved upwards from the small tremors of each footfall. He gasped out loud when he realized what it was. "K-King Dondongo!!" he stuttered in surprised, surprised that the real Kind Dondongo was nothing like the game back home had envisioned it to be. It looked like an oversized and more muscular chameleon with a single horn protruding from its head, its eyes burned green with a cold primal glee, its mouth was filled with three rows of razor sharp teeth about six inches long except for the pair of teeth about twice that size, hard diamond-like rock was growing out of its upper forelegs like they were supposed to be some kind of protection, three two foot long spines protruded from out of its back, its forearms were large and muscular while the hind legs were smaller, its veins were bulging from all parts of the lizard. It towered over him about thirty feet. 

It roared and swiped at him; he jumped back and leapt onto its back. He drew his sword, it shined blue and casted a water-like shine onto his face. He stared at the sword momentarily the blade was a good four feet long, six inches wide and one centimeter in thickness. Inside of the blade was what seemed to be a water-like substance which gave the blade its cerulean glow. The sword looked familiar but it was the wrong coloration than what he had remembered, but he just couldn't remember where he had seen the blade before. Perhaps it was something he drew one time…? He shook his head, eliminating the thought which was starting to dwell; this wasn't the time to think, one moment of thought and he would surely die. He plunged the blade into the lizard's back. 

It roared in pain and anger, shaking and flailing its body to fling him off; it succeeded to fling him off, sending him flying across the room in a far corner on his stomach. His sword landed blade first beside him, nearly driving itself into his back. He got up and spat out some blood, noticing that his blood was black. He swallowed hard; this sight disturbed him as he felt a chill rip through his back. _What…? He thought to himself in horror, __I… I have only been in Hyrule for what… a day? But my blood has changed color. This can't be Zoran blood or Hylian blood, or even human blood. My blood had changed in such a short amount of time. Is it because of my transformation? No, it can't be. Is it… the other mask? I had murdered those two shop keepers in the Town Market without a second's thought; it was intentional yet unintentional at the same time. It was like... something was calling me to the mask, and demanded that I kill those people. He instantly felt deep regret for his actions but noticed that King Dondongo was directly behind him. He turned around to face it, he smiled coldly at it._

"Heh, so you are sure you can kill me, eh?" he said to it, not really expecting an answer, "Go ahead, give me your best shot!" 

It seemed to acknowledge his invitation and swung a clawed foot at him; he dodged but was hit when it swung its head. He was sent flying across the room once again, his body made contact with the wall; when he started to fall; he drove his sword into the rock wall. 

He laughed coldly, "Is that the best you can do?" he said with a growl in his voice. He made his feet make contact with the wall and he pushed off, leaping at the massive lizard, "My turn…" 

He reared his arm back and shut his eyes, the sword became enveloped in a black aura, "_Die!" he yelled out and tossed the blade at the Dondongo king's heart. The sword made contact with the target and released the energy into it. It roared it pain, he landed in front of it, gripped the sword, and pushed down; slicing its stomach open, releasing green blood and internal organs. It convulsed and flailed as it died, toppling over to its side and into the lava pool. It gave out one last dying roar, and trapped him on his back under its forefoot. _

Its body became a charcoal black color and stiffened. He kicked upwards four times and managed to break off its clawed toes, he got up. He picked his sword up off of the ground and placed it in its sheath. A pillar of light formed next to him, he walked into it, closed his eyes and was transported out of the room.

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He appeared in front of the cavern, it was still night outside, he removed the Goron Tunic and threw it onto the ground. He began to walk towards Goron City, but four boulder-like things fell from the sky, surrounding him. It turned out that the "boulders" were just three regular Gorons and Darunia. 

"Oh it's just you…" he said to Darunia and his fellow Gorons, "Ready to give me the Fire Ruby?"

"It's amazing that a Zora managed to save an entire race and in just one night." Darunia said, seemingly to himself, "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for us. I am eternally grateful for your help."

"Yeah, yeah… enough with the thanks already." He replied impatiently

"I understand your impatience; you are basically in a race against time to save this land. If there's anything else I can do for you, I'll do it."

"You can start by giving me the Spiritual Stone of Fire…"

"Done." He punched into the wall and took out a ruby with three golden decorations on it that looked like the pieces of the Triforce. 

He took it without saying a word and headed towards Kakariko Village, away from the Gorons and Death Mountain.


	16. Chapter 15: Zora's Domain

**_Chapter 15: Zora's Domain_**

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He walked through and out of Kakariko Village, facing the river that separated Kakariko from Hyrule Field. He ran towards the river and jumped in. He swam upstream to the way to Zora's Domain; while he swam he was filled with an overwhelming relaxation. 

_Swimming is so relaxing, he thought to himself, __well, as a Zora that is. As a human, he had actually hated the beach, mostly because of the little kids, but he loved to swim beside that point._

He reached a huge waterfall at the end of the river after dodging the Octoroks and climbing up smaller waterfalls. He climbed a ladder that led to a trail up to the front of the waterfall at halfway. He looked down and saw a symbol of the Triforce on the ground. He took his ocarina out of the satchel and played Zelda's Lullaby, hoping that it would work like it did in the game. Sure enough, the waterfall parted, allowing him to leap into an opening in the cliff. 

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He walked through a long tunnel and into a kingdom of rock, much like Goron City, but was carved by water's natural erosion to the point that it created a whole colony inside a cavern. He was impressed by the sight of it before his eyes, it was much more impressive that its game counterpart. This Zora's Domain was a sight in itself, plus the small lake was much bigger and was populated by a multitude of the Zora population.  

"Hey!" he heard the voice of a male Zora call out to him, "You!"

He followed the sound to the water and saw a Zora in the water, "You want to talk to me?" he responded

"Yeah."

"What do you want?"

"Just get down here."

"Alright." He leapt off of the small cliff and into the water, resurfacing soon after

"You are a different kind of Zora, aren't you?" 

"Yes…"

"From where?"

"Somewhere far away."

"What's your name?"  
  


"Maiku."

"Hm… Maiku… isn't that the name of a member of a Zoran music group?"  
  


"I don't think so."

"Oh."

"Where is the King's Chamber?"

"Up that path," he pointed, "leading to the top of the waterfall."

"Thanks." He started towards the water

"Oh yeah, Maiku?" 

"Yes?"

"Our princess, Ruto, is missing. I know this might be unimportant to you but can you, a fellow Zora, help us in our search?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Anything to help the Zora population." He jumped into the water and climbed up a small ladder leading to the top of the small cliff he had jumped off of to talk to the Zora. He followed the direction the Zora gave him and entered the Royal Chamber.

*                      *                      *

He walked into the Royal Chamber and onto the pedestal that stood before King Zora and knelt. "King Zora," he said in a serious tone, "I have come from a far away island chain by accident and am new to this country. I understand that the land of Hyrule is in grave danger, including Zora's Domain and Lake Hylia. I have been sent on a quest oddly enough to seek out the Spiritual Stones by Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

"And you need the Spiritual Stone of Water?" King Zora responded, his voice sounded deep and bubbly, "Correct?"

"Yes, King Zora."

"A man came here recently, demanding it too."

"Ganondorf?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"He threatened that he'd destroy Zora's Domain!"

"What? Another threatening to destroy a major spot?! Dammit…"

"And now, Princess Ruto has disappeared!"

"I heard… Well, I'll tell you what… I'll find Ruto, and you can give me the Spiritual Stone of Water."

"Yes."

"Well that was easy. Where was the last place you saw her?"

"I haven't seen her today."

"Hm….I'll check at Lake Hylia. If I find something, I'll report it to you." He jumped off of the platform and ran through a tunnel that led to a waterfall. He dove over the edge, into the water far below; he did not surface. Instead, he stayed underwater and looked around. There were a few Zora children playing a game of tag underwater, their vigilant parents kept a watchful eye on their children while socializing with other adults. 

He became confused, there were several underwater tunnels rather than the single one that the game had illustrated, he let out a low growl from within his throat. He felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around and saw the nurse he had seen in Goron City. "Long time no see." She said, her eyes still gentle, "Are you lost?"

He rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah." 

"And what are you trying to find?"

"Is there an entrance or underground tunnel leading to Lake Hylia?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"All of the tunnels lead to Lake Hylia."

"Oh. Now I feel like an idiot."

"It's understandable. You say you're new to Hyrule, right?"

"Yes."

"Then it's obviously okay to be lost."

"That's an interesting way to put it."

"Don't think you're stupid just because you can't find your way, you're a smart young Zora man… very attractive one at that." She guided her hands to the sides of his waist and squeezed his rear, "Come on. Aren't I attractive? You can just settle down here and we can make love in my quarters, wouldn't you want that?"

_She's trying to interfere with me, he thought to himself, __I have to find Ruto! He pushed her hands away, "Maybe later." He said and started to swim away but she grabbed his ankle._

"Now!" she said

"I said maybe later!" he kicked her off and swam into a tunnel, "Damned whore…" he said quietly and started to scan the tunnels, he found one with a message etched into the rock, _Lake Hylia __à. He followed the tunnel to Lake Hylia._


	17. Chapter 16: Lake Hylia

**_Chapter 16: _****_Lake_********_Hylia_****__**

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As soon as he entered the tunnel, a large rock slab representing a door had slammed itself in front of the entrance. He quickly turned around just as the door shut, _Fuck! He thought to himself, __Just when I thought I can go through Hyrule without any conflicts, this shit happens! Now if that happens, then- _

His thoughts were cut short by the sound of a low growl, "What?" he said aloud to himself, "What the hell is that?" 

The glowing of two red eyes answered his question, the growl sounded again. The owner of the eyes came into view; he swam backwards and away from the monster. "A giant fish?" he was confused at the appearance of this monster, "I guess I did more harm to Hyrule than I thought… But this also looks fairly familiar…. What was it from…?" 

He floated upright in a standing thinking position like if he were standing on solid ground, "Oh yeah, that's right. It looks like that fish monster in Link's next adventure in Termina in the game of Majora's Mask. But… what is it doing _here?" he shook his head "Oh well… no matter thinking about it now, I have to push on through!!" _

He drew his sword and noticed that the sword was emanating some sort of crimson aura. _This is strange… he thought to himself, is__ the blade trying to communicate with me? He looked towards the monster, only to see it coming straight at him. It rammed into his stomach, pressing him into the wall. It swam away to turn around to attack him again, he kicked off of the wall, releasing himself. _

His body began to feel numb, he stared down at his stomach and noticed that it had been cut; blood was already oozing out of the wound. He held his stomach in one hand and waited for the monster to ram him again, this time he had his sword at the ready. 

Oddly enough, Navi was perfectly calm and was floating beside him; instead of paying attention to both him and her, the monster was only paying attention to him. He grinned when he thought up something and grabbed Navi by her wings and dangled her in front of the monster with his arm outstretched. 

Just as he had intended, Navi had caught the fish's attention; he tossed her to the side and waited for it to follow. The fish followed Navi, allowing him to attack it without the threat of a counter attack. 

He had slightly miscalculated somewhere in the mix between tossing Navi and striking the fish in hopes of not being the target of a counter attack. He was hit by the fish's fin as it turned around causing his side to be severely slashed; his black blood once again was exposed to his eyes. He had never known how thin his skin would be now, but now he did; which meant that he would have to be careful whenever in a fight. 

He looked at himself and saw that he had already suffered a good amount of scrapes and cuts on his chest and arms. _Dammit… he thought to himself, my__ body is too prone to cuts and other inflictions! I guess I'll tend to my wounds later…when I'm done with this over sized fish._

He placed his sword in its sheath and swam to the underwater cavern's floor. He looked around and noticed a sizable rock directly below him; he swam lower, put both hands on it, and pulled up, revealing a hole. _Wow, so it can work like that… isn't that weird…? "NAVI!" he yelled, "GET OVER HERE!!" he swam into the hole, Navi quickly followed. _

The fish noticed their attempt at escape and charged them at full speed. He glanced behind himself and panicked when he saw the fish steadily approach him. 

_FUCK!!!! It's getting too close, if only…he thought to himself and sneered, grabbing Navi and chucking her at the fish._

"MAIKU!!! YOU SON OF A-!" Navi screamed as she flew in the water towards the fish, but was cut off when it ate her

_God dammit…I finally got that fuckin' bug away from me! He kept swimming through the seemingly endless caverns in search of an exit; at long last he found one and swam into it. _

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He surfaced in Lake Hylia's cool and refreshing pure water, his wounds were still bleeding and needed mending; but he didn't want that whore of a Zora nurse to mend his wounds, he wanted someone of higher status than a nurse to be with. _That nurse keeps on hitting on me! He thought to himself, __Even after I told her **so many times to basically fuck off, she kept trying to screw me! I like the Zoras and all but damn…I never knew that, as with humans, there are Zoras that are complete trash. Oh well… now, if my knowledge of the game serves me right… there should be a bottle with Ruto's note in it. **_

He looked below him and, low and behold, there was the bottle with the letter. He swam down to it and placed it in the satchel which was still at his side. 

_That was too easy… where'd that- _

His thoughts were cut short as the sounds of the fish filled his ears

_You gotta be kidding' me… this can't be happening…_

The fish burst through the small entrance way which served as the only tie between Zora's Domain and the lake. He noticed a male Zora swimming towards his right side, he turned towards him. 

"Hey!" he yelled out to get the Zora's attention

"Hi." answered the Zora

_Shit… how do I tell him this… "Uh… there's a big fish bursting out the underwater caverns."_

"That's ridiculous! There's only one big fish of that I know in Hyrule and that's Lord Jabu Jabu! So don't try to spout out lies that a big-"

"DAMMIT! SHUT THE HELL UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!!!" he grabbed the Zora's shoulders and looked straight into his eyes, "There is a big fuckin' fish breaking out of the underwater caverns! So if you don't want to DIE, then I suggest you heed my warning and get out of the water and onto a safe place!" 

"You're kidding… right?"

"DO I SOUND LIKE I'M KIDDING?!" he growled at the Zora, "I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY ZORA DIE IN FRONT OF ME, EVEN IF IT'S BY A _FISH… SO GET OUTTA HERE AND LET ME HANDLE THE FISH!!!!" _

"Okay, okay." 

The Zora swam away, but the murky water hid the fish's location; so it made his visibility very limited. Unfortunately, the Zora was too late; the fish's mouth was hidden and unknown to the Zora. He heard the scream of the Zora and saw the pale blue blood. 

_Shit… that idiot! I told him that…GAH!!!! _

The fish was too fast for him to dodge. It rammed him with its head into a wall adjacent from him. He grunted sharply in pain as his body was slammed, then screamed out in pain as the pressure increased and he felt as though his inside were getting crushed altogether. 

_D-damn… this can't be… the end…!_

His body was suddenly overcame by a overwhelming source of energy, energy that blazed throughout his very heart and soul, every part of his body was bathed in a wave of energy that emitted from his body in a dark crimson. "LEAVE…" he growled at the fish, "ME……THE HELL……. **ALONE!!!!" He unsheathed his sword and plunged it into the fish's head, piercing the brain. Energy released itself from his body and engulfed the fish, reducing it to nothing but bones. **

_There, killed it. Now I've just got to go back to Zora's Domain…_

He swam to the entrance of the tunnel and entered it.


	18. Chapter 17: Back to Zora's Domain

**_Chapter 17: Back to Zora's Domain_**

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Going through the under ground caverns was easier without that fish following him; but he found himself swimming slower in pain clutching his stomach on the way to Zora's Domain. He reached the door and kicked it weakly so that anyone who is out side the door. "C'mon!" he yelled weakly, "Open up dammit!"

No answer came, nor did the door open. He drew his sword and placed the blade at the upper left corner, slashed down diagonally, and kicked the door. It broke into two separate pieces and opened the gateway into the cavern.

"Hey Maiku!" he heard the voice of a male Zora call out to him; it was the one he met when he first entered the cavern.

"Hey…" he replied weakly, still clutching his stomach, "Can you tell King Zora that I found this." He rummaged around in his satchel and took out the bottle with the note in it, "I'll be there as soon as I have some rest, okay?" 

"Alright." He took the bottle from out of his hand and swam off

He rested his feet on the ground, "Damn… the pain…." He began to limp towards the main cavern; _I hope that this hero business gets easier…he thought to himself, __its way too painful…_

He felt a light tap on his shoulder; "Hi!" said a familiar voice

"Ggh!" he cringed in pain, "Damn it!" He turned around and saw the female nurse Zora he had encountered _way too many times_

"You're injured, let me take care of you and mend your wounds." 

"No thanks, at least not from _you!" he started to walk away, but she grabbed his waist, "What are you doing?!" he tried to shake her off._

"Let me help you!" 

"No!"

"Please!" 

"Damn it!" he shook her off, "Listen you little slut! You are pregnant, and I know that once you have your baby; you will say that _I was the one who fucked you and therefore am the father of that Zora!!!" _

"But… I am a nurse. I'm supposed to-"

"No, I don't think that a nurse is supposed to sleep around."

"Please, listen to me."

"You've had your chance, now fuck off…." He continued to walk away from her. _I just need to find a potion shop and I'll be set, no whore nurses to try and interfere... _

"Maiku!" he heard the voice of the male Zora, "Come to the Royal Chamber, King Zora demands it."

"D-do you have something to heal me with?"

"Yes, I'll have one delivered to the Royal Chamber. Now, follow me!"

"Don't you see that I'm injured? My body is severely scarred and my wounds are releasing my blood…."

"Yeah, just come, alright?"

"Whatever." He followed the Zora up into the Royal Chamber, limping and clutching his stomach the whole way up. _Damn, why couldn't I be healed FIRST?! He thought to himself, __Fuck… everything revolves around those damn stones that that little bitch Zelda needs so damn much. Why doesn't she just do it herself… damn lazy ass bitch. I kinda pity Link for being able to put up with her crap all the time. Oh well, I hope that Ruto isn't the spoiled brat that she was in the game… _

He reached the chamber and weakly kneeled before King Zora. "Agh…" he groaned in pain, "King Zora, I believe that the letter I found may have been of some use to your search? Shall I…. find her and bring her here?"

"Yes." Was the only thing that King Zora said, "I have already moved out of the way from the entrance to Zora's Fountain so you can reach her."

"I see. I'll be back as soon as I find her." He stood up and felt a bit woozy as he continued to lose more blood, "King Zora?"

"Yes?"

"Is there anything to mend my wounds with around here?"

"Well, at the Fountain there is a cave leading to the Great Fairy's Fountain, you should be able to heal there."

"But…. I'm feeling a bit woozy right now from blood loss… and plus I haven't even rested at all."

"Oh all right… Hertolpe...!" 

"Yes?" answered a female attendant.

"Get a potion for Maiku here and give it to him." 

"Yes." She took a bottle from a hidden shelf in the wall, "Here."

Maiku took it and drank it. It tasted bitter and pretty nasty. He recoiled at the taste, but felt his wounds close and feeling came back into his body. He walked onto the platform, leapt toward and walked to the entrance to Zora's Fountain.


	19. Chapter 18: Lord Jabu-Jabu

**_Chapter 18: Lord Jabu-Jabu_**

He walked out of the tunnel to Zora's Fountain, a small lake atop a waterfall. To the right was a platform where a giant fish that looked like some kind of whale was wading, facing the platform; Lord Jabu-Jabu. 

"So that's Lord Jabu-Jabu, huh?" he said to himself and smirked, "Heh, just looks like a big and harmless fish."

Even though he had seen it so many times when he played the game, he had ever thought he would ever actually see it up close. Now that he was near it, he didn't really see anything grand about it. He walked up to it and glared into one of the two large sapphire spheres for eyes.

"Alright, Jabu-Jabu open up!" 

It stared at him blankly 

"Don't try and act stupid in front of me! I know you understand me… now open up!"

Its disregard towards him irritated him

"Listen fish, I know your worshipped here as some kind of god to these Zoras, but I see past your false god status! Now… open, I do not want to force my way in; but if you do so much as even continue this stupid charade then so be it!"

Jabu-Jabu seemed to understand what he said but still didn't respond. Maiku felt a sharp tingling in the back of his head that worked its way to the fore head; he realized that Jabu Jabu was communicating with him via telepathy. "Yes, Lord Jabu-Jabu… I understand… Ruto was swallowed up by you? Why? Oh, I see… it was an accident. Do not worry, I'll save her and cure you of the disease that the man from the desert named Ganondorf had put upon you, okay? I am glad that you understand, and I'll do my best."

Jabu-Jabu opened its mouth wide; he glanced into those massive and cavernous jaws, gulped, and entered.

*                      *                      *

As soon as he entered, Jabu-Jabu closed its mouth, temporarily leaving him in complete darkness. His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, enabling him to see some aspects of the mouth. _Damn, he thought to himself, __now I do wish that Navi wasn't eaten... damn unreliable fairy. Wait a minute... my sword is illuminated because of internal energy within it._

He drew his sword; the light from the light illuminated the surroundings. He saw two Octroroks and those weird bubble things, along with the thing jutting out from the roof of the mouth. 

_I have no time for these damn underlings, I have to find Princess Ruto and get her out of here!_

He ran past the Octoroks and dodged the bubbles, stopping at what seemed to be a door with a thick yellowish membrane covering it. __

_I don't want to mess around with that think on the ceiling, so I'll try and slash it down…_

He slashed that the membrane, cutting it a little bit. He slashed a few more times and finally cut it down. He entered the next section. He looked around as soon as he entered and saw Princess Ruto.

He realized that she was older now than she was in the game, she was her adult self; he also noticed that she was a lot more attractive than the other way had perceived her as. She had a perfect body, nothing but perfection. Her amethyst eyes were so beautiful and enticing, he felt calm by just gazing into her eyes; he smiled.

"Princess Ruto!" he said and approached her

"What?" she said, her voice was very nice and innocent, "What are you doing here? Who are you?" 

"My name is Maiku; I am new to this country. I have talked to your father, the King… he is very worried about you; he asked me to bring you back so c'mon."

She put a hand to her chest "But… how did you know where I was?"

"I found a note written by _you in Lake Hylia."_

"Do not lie!"

"I'm serious."

"I didn't write anything… well… it doesn't really matter now, anyway."

"But- your father is worried to death about you!"

"I don't care; I lost my most precious possession! I must find it!"

"Which is….?"

"Why should you care?"

"I can help you find it. I am a fighting Zora and can protect you as you search."

"You are a foreign born Zora… I do not know if I can trust you…"

"You can trust me, Ruto. I'll protect you no matter what!" 

"Hmmm… All right, but you have to carry me. Is that all right with you?"

"Yeah sure."

"Okay…. Bodyguard, do your job."

"Yes princess." He rested Ruto's back on one arm and rested her legs on the other; she was pretty heavy, but he was surprised to find that he was able to lift her without even straining a muscle very much. "Don't worry Ruto. We'll get out of her in a minute." He said reassuringly, "I'll find your most precious possession alone, avoiding risking your life, only mine."

"You don't have to do that… uh… what did you say your name was again?" 

"Maiku…"

"Okay Maiku, you don't have to do this for me."

He shook his head, "Don't worry about it, anything for you…. Ruto"

"Thanks…"

He walked towards the entrance, but the yellowish membrane came back, even thicker this time. "What?"

The soft muscle tissue on which he standing on started to absorb him and Ruto into the lower area of Jabu-Jabu's stomach. He fell, noticed that Ruto was not in his arms, and landed on his stomach; Ruto fell through and landed on his back. "Agh… my back…. Ruto…. Please….. Get… Off…!"

"Maiku? Oh!" she got off, "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" She held out a hand to help him up.

He smiled at her concern, "Ugh…. Yeah… just great…" he grasped her hand and stood up with her help, "Where are we?"

"We are in the lower stomach of Jabu-Jabu." She looked at him, "Well? Aren't you going to continue escorting me out?"

"Oh… uh… yeah." Once again he held her in his arms, not once in his life as his human self had he ever felt so important; he loved the feeling of Ruto's soft body in his arms; not once had he experienced feel the closeness he was feeling, being _this close to anyone made up for the loneliness throughout his life. He sensed that Ruto was getting impatient and realized that he had been standing there for five minutes just thinking about things. He continued on through the lower stomach of Jabu-Jabu, protecting Ruto in the process._

After a while, he and Ruto entered an area with a high platform in the center. Ruto spotted what she was looking for. "Maiku, over there!" she said, he kneeled and she stood up. He gave her a boost onto the platform; she approached it and picked it up, the Spiritual Stone of Water.

"Okay, Maiku, take me home."

"At once Princess Ruto."

Ruto started to walk towards the edge but it started to rise. Maiku grabbed onto a spike on the bottom and grasped tightly.

"Ruto!" he yelled

"Maiku! Help me!!" she screamed, the platform stopped, "Agh! What is that, an octopus?"

"Ruto?! Are you okay? What's happening up there?!"

"Let go of me! Maiku! Please help me!!!"

"Ruto!" The platform started to shake, "Huh?" 

The shaking became more violent, causing him to lose his grip; he fell and plummeted to the ground, landing of his back. The platform lowered faster and he rolled to his side out of the way of the falling platform. He stood up, drew his sword, and saw a large octorok on the platform; it slid off of the platform and into the ankle deep water and charged at him and he ran away from it, noticing that the platform was spinning; the octorok caught up to him.

He jumped onto the wall and performed a triangle jump, landed on the platform and moved his feet so that he would stay in once place. He timed the octoroks' rotation carefully and leapt onto the top of it; he stabbed it repeatedly about twenty times and killed it. The platform finally stopped as the octorok died, he stepped onto the platform and was raised to the upper level. 

"Ruto?" he called out, but did not see her, "Damn it, I have to look for her now…" 

After what seemed like an hour he reached a pitch black chamber. He was nearly blinded as a bright flash of light filled the area. In the center of the room, a huge parasite thing was pulsating with eight amebas attached to it. He was not at all terrified like he had been with King Dondongo but he was partially afraid of the electricity that the amebas produced. 

He waited for its basic attack, the spinning ameba attack; he timed the spin carefully, rolled on his side under the amebas, stood up and charged the thing sword first. He thrust the sword into it and withdrew energy from his body into the sword, discharging it through the thing that was Barinade. He withdrew the sword, and watched as the amebas withered away and as it blew up. 

A pillar of light formed in the center of the chamber, he smiled when he saw her and she smiled back at him. He ran into the light and was transported out.


	20. Chapter 19: Zora's Sapphire, the Zora's ...

**_Chapter 19: Zora's Sapphire, the Zora's Engagement Ring_**

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He found himself on an oversized tree root outside of Jabu-Jabu; after he didn't see Ruto anywhere around him, he glanced around. Suddenly he felt two gentle hands push his back and he fell into the water face first. The water stung his face, chest, stomach, legs, and arms; he screamed out underwater in pain and tried to rub the pain away. 

He surfaced and saw Ruto dive in beautifully. 

"Oh Maiku!" she said. "You were so heroic back there!" 

"Eh… _ow…. It was… nothing…" he said, his body still stinging_

"But, what did you come to Zora's Domain for in the first place? You said you're new to Hyrule…?"

"Yeah…. I came to retrieve the Spiritual Stone of Water."

"Spiritual Stone of…. Oh you mean by the Zora's Sapphire?!" 

"Yeah, I guess…"

"What… did you need it for…?"

"…. To open the Door of Time in the Temple of Time."

"But…. The Zora's Sapphire is my…."

"….Most precious possession?"

"Yes… but how did you know?"

"…. Lucky guess…"

"But my mother told me to give this to the man I…."

"…. Intend to marry?"

"Yes."

"Well… tell you what… I'll marry you, Ruto."

She was taken aback, "What? Marry already? But… this is… all so sudden…."

He put his hands on her arms, "Well… uh… I know how to… convince… you to do so…."

"M-Maiku… you don't mean…."

"Yes…." He held her close, wrapping his arms around her.

"But… I haven't done anything like this before…. I mean… I've heard from the maids and nurses about those customs…. But I haven't experienced anything like it before…."

"Neither have I…" 

"Oh…. Maiku…."

"Ruto…" He gently caressed her face with his hand, gazing into her brilliant amethyst eyes as she gazed into his dull black with a little bit of crimson eyes, "…. I want to… be with you forever…." 

"As do I…." 

"Are you ready?"

"Yes…"

They embraced each other and lowered themselves into the water.


	21. Chapter 20: Zora's Wedding

**_Chapter 20: Zora's Wedding_**

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Three days had passed since Maiku proposed and convinced Ruto to marry him. He lay in wait in a chamber behind the large waterfall in the main cavern as the last minute preparations were set up for the wedding. Many thoughts passed through his head, thoughts of his home, if maybe any of his friends back home could've been transported into Hyrule as well, He hadn't seen anyone that resembled them by name or appearance but he had nobody would recognize him anyway. 

As he thought about current matters mainly his marriage with Ruto, he reconsidered if he should continue his quest that Zelda had implied to him or not. 

_…Maybe I should… he thought to himself; __…If not for Zelda's sake, then for Ruto and the Zoras. _

He placed both hands to the sides of his head to try and remove the mask; but found that no matter how much he tried to remove it, it wouldn't budge only adding pain to his face. But he felt fine knowing that he could not remove the mask. He figured that if anything was to happen to him that called for him to remove the Zora Mask, if he would just place the other mask over his current one then the Zora Mask would just be replaced my the other one. 

A Zora surfaced beside him, "Maiku?" he said

"Yes?" Maiku replied

"It is time to start the wedding ceremony."

He sighed, "It's about time…"

"Why do you say that?"

"…. I was just getting worried because it was taking so long."

"Oh…"

Maiku dove into the water and surfaced near the ladder, climbed up it, and headed towards the royal chambers. He was escorted by two guards to Zora's Fountain once he reached the chamber. Once he emerged from the tunnel leading from Zora's Domain, he found that every Zora was in attendance and were wading in the water; he guessed that Jabu-Jabu must have been submerged far below because it was nowhere to be seen and the Zoras were where it was supposed to be facing the platform talking amongst them selves.

King Zora was sitting on the platform, his immense blubber was jiggling like a pulsating mass of jelly; the pattern of the jiggles was hypnotic in a weird _The Blob way, he stopped staring and shook his head. The guards instructed him to stand next to King Zora and wait for the ceremony to begin, he did as he was told and walked over to the platform; the Zoras stopped their talking and stared straight at him, he began to feel nervous as all those eyes were set upon him; he looked around at the crowd of Zoras and noticed the that nurse he had met several times was glaring at him in contempt._

He stopped glancing down at the water and waited. He suddenly sensed that something dark was coming soon, but he assured himself that he was just imagining things and he relaxed a bit. Ruto finally emerged from the water and pulled herself up onto the platform. He stared at her, watching the water drip off of her perfect body, the way her body reflected the sunlight with her wet and sleek body. She smiled at him and he smiled back. 

The rite of marriage was recited by an elder Zora priest who was normally praying or worshipping something at the Water Temple but was acting as the one to perform the wedding ceremony in Zora's Domain that day. They stood there for one hour listening to the priest reciting everything from the rite book in that old and dry but wet voice of an old Zora. Maiku nearly fell asleep a few times while trying to keep his attention span in tact; he kept being bumped by Ruto to pay attention and for about twenty minutes he did but fell asleep again. 

He finally paid attention as the priest was wrapping things up, "… And do you Maiku…" said the priest, "Take this woman to be you lawfully wedded wife….?"

"I do." He answered

"And do you Ruto… take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." She answered

"Then by the power invested to me by the Royal Family of Zora's Domain, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Maiku and Ruto kissed and the ceremony was complete. They smiled but Ruto's expression turned solemn as the sounds of huge conch shells could be heard. "Oh no…!" she said

"What? Aren't you happy that we're together?" he asked

"Oh yes, I am! But…" 

"But what…?" 

"Ganondorf is approaching."

"What?!" 

"The conches are used as a warning alarm; a known evil is near whenever they are blown."

"Damn it…! I don't even have my equipment with me so that I can defend you!"

"Where is it?"

"It's in the room behind the waterfall."

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get it!"

He shook his head, "Not alone, I won't."  
  


"What do you mean?" 

"I want to you to go with me; I… don't want to lose you!" 

"Okay." 

He took her by the hand and ran into the tunnel. He stopped when they reached the waterfall, "I want you to stay here." He said suddenly. 

"What?"

"Just stay right here, you got that?" he approached the ledge

"Maiku!"

"Don't worry, if Ganondorf comes… then… jump over the waterfall where I'll be for about a minute. If you see me going back up here, then jump in anyway and catch up to me." 

"Oh… okay…" 

He leapt over the side of waterfall, surfaced after he made contact with the water, and pulled himself out of the water. He went into his room and picked up all of his equipment, making his way back up to the Royal Chamber. Halfway up the path, the collapsed to his knees when the whole cavern rocked violently as if it were hit by a bomb explosion followed by Ruto's scream of terror. "Maiku, help me!" she yelled.

"Ruto!" he yelled; stood back up and ran faster to the top. When he reached the top he gasped; ahead of him stood Ganondorf with Ruto is his grasp by the neck. She was facing away from Ganondorf, facing Maiku. He yelled her name again.

"Maiku, _please help me!!!" _

"You bastard, let her go!!!!" he yelled at Ganondorf

Ganondorf laughed coldly at him, "Pitiful Zora…!" he said, "All talk and no action?"

"Ganondorf!" he drew his sword, "Let her go!" 

He drew a dagger and held it to Ruto's neck, "Give me the Spiritual Stone of Water or else she dies!" he smiled coldly, "Well? What are you going to do?"

"Maiku," Ruto screamed, "Do as he says!"

"But…" Maiku said

"If you love me, then you'll do as he says."

"Ruto… I do love you…" he opened his satchel, took the Zora's Sapphire out, and sighed, "Here Ganondorf…." He tossed it at him.

Ganondorf caught it and ran out of the cave with Ruto still in his grasp. Maiku ran onto the platform and leapt off of it, landed on the throne gate, and ran after Ganondorf. 

"Damn it Ganondorf!" he said as he caught up to him, "Put her down now!" 

Ganondorf laughed at him

"What the fuck are you laughing at?!"

"Fool!" he said deeply, "You actually believed my word? Now pay for your-" Ruto stuck out her leg and kicked backwards, landing the hit directly on his crotch, "Wench!" He sent dark energy into her body, let go of her, levitated her body and punched her; sending her flying towards the fence that was built at the top of the main waterfall to act as a barrier so that no one could fall over the side into the jagged rocks below. The force of impact nearly broke the wood, Maiku ran over to her to try and protect he, Ganondorf pulled her body back to him and tossed her again; the second time he threw her, the fence broke and she fell over the side. 

Ganondorf took aim and hurled the dagger at her, Maiku saw and tried to use his body as a shield but the dagger only cut the top of his shoulder and drove itself into her back. "Ruto!!!" he screamed and leapt over the side to catch her. He made himself fall faster and caught her around the waist with one arm and held onto a barely noticeable line with his free hand, he wrapped her arms around his neck and climbed up the line to the top of the waterfall.

After a while, he finally reached the top of the waterfall. He kneeled down and unwrapped her arms from around his neck resting her on the water on her back. Her sapphire blood blended in with the water.

"R-Ruto?" he said to make sure she was still alive.

"M-Maiku?" she replied as she barely held onto life, her mouth painted a deeper blue as her blood was slowly spilling out "Is that…. You….?"

"Yes, Ruto… it is me…"

"Am I going to die…?"

He sadly nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid so."

"How much more time… left…?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Are we the only ones left?"

He looked around and saw the bodies of hundreds of Zoras littering Zora's Fountain, "Yes…" 

"Maiku…"

"Yes Ruto?"

"…. Please don't forget me…. Maiku…. Never forget my face…."

"What are you saying?" 

She stood up slowly, "Please Maiku… do something with me before I die….."

"What's that?"

"Pray with me… for my father… for the Zoras…. Anyone… Please Maiku…."

"Okay… at the platform….?"

"Yes…"

He helped her to the platform and kneeled as she did. They both prayed, even though he had no idea what the word were, he just followed her lead and hoped he was doing something. "Maiku… leave me to finish the prayer…" 

"But what if Ganondorf comes back?"

"I don't know… just please, leave everything to me. Maybe we can see each other again somehow…. Just keep on being yourself. And try not to have a breakdown, okay….?" 

"Ruto… You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do… please… go…"

"But…"

She smiled, "Don't worry about a thing. Meeting you was the best thing that had ever happened to me, I just want you to remember me after this day." She cupped her hands together and bent her neck down, purple light suddenly shone over her; he looked up and saw the figure of a man with a large thick sword in his hands. 

_Why does this look so familiar? He thought to himself and realized that the man was Ganondorf. Before he had a chance to warn her of him, he stabbed her through the back and out the stomach. She opened her eyes wide as she felt the cold steel pass through her body, she coughed up blood and slumped lifelessly over the blade. Ganondorf pulled the blade forcefully out of her body and sneered at Maiku. _

Maiku held out his arms and caught Ruto as she fell onto the ground. "No…! This…. Can't be…."

"Stop acting as if you were sad…"

"What?!" he turned around and glanced at him, "How can you say that?" 

"Because… I know you have… a dark soul within you… so you cannot feel any true emotions… as well as something more…"

"Damn it! You make no sense!" he rested her body on the ground and drew his sword, pointing at Ganondorf, "Ruto is gone! I feel a complete emptiness inside me, and it's all because of you!" 

"You honestly believe that those emotions are coming from your heart?"

"Of course, who hell do you think I am!?" 

"Well…. I have got to admit that you've got guts, Zora…. I like that… Now…" he grabbed Maiku by the neck.

"Ggh!" he choked, "Ganondorf… why? Why did you… attack Zora's Domain….? Shouldn't getting the Ocarina of Time be good enough for you?" 

He tossed Maiku to the tree root; before he was hurled, Maiku took the Zora's Sapphire from out of Ganondorf's hand. His body made contact with a large rock head first, and was caught between to outcropping roots from the main root and dangled over the water, his blood dripped into the water and he let go of the Zora's Sapphire. The last thing he saw was the jewel slip out of his hand and fall into the water before he fell into darkness. 


	22. Chapter 21: Some Thing Recovered and Som...

**_Chapter 21: Some Things Recovered and Some Things Lost_**

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Being unconscious left Maiku to think about, reflect on, and remember things for a while; mainly remembering how his life was before at home. He was an unpopular person who didn't have much friends, he hung out with a group that was mostly lively but some where quiet. He was usually moody and didn't talk very much. He had lived in a city in the middle of a valley called Temecula for nearly five years; before he moved to that city, he lived somewhere else for seven years of his life but he couldn't remember where he had lived before that for the first five years of his life.

He remembered his family though not very clearly. His memory was starting to erase itself starting with memories of his family. He could remember that his mother was usually mentally abusive, usually giving him a hard time for everything that he did and usually putting him down for it. His father, on the other hand, was like a kid and was usually there to give him support whenever he was depressed. 

But now, no one was there to give him support. Ruto was gone and thought that he was dying, hanging up on that overgrown tree root bleeding to death with the Zora's Sapphire at the bottom of Zora's Fountain along with the bodies of hundreds of Zoras. He was weak; he couldn't protect them from Ganondorf. This weakness caused him to lose someone dear to his now confused heart; Ruto, his newlywed wife, the beautiful Ruto was now dead and he was dangling on the root, bleeding to his death.

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He was surprised to find himself waking up away from Zora's Domain and was instead in the river; the face of a young boy of about ten years old with blond hair and cerulean eyes was peering down at him when he woke up. He tried to piece together what was happening but he decided it was too much so returned the gaze. Finally, the boy spoke, "You're alive!" he said. 

Maiku tried to get up but felt pain rip through his entire body. 

"No, don't try to get up, Maiku." He heard a tiny familiar voice say to him, "It'll only make the pain worse, just rest."

"N…. Na… vi…?" he weakly pieced the word together

"Yes, it's me." 

"And I'm Link." He heard the young boy say, "I thought you were a goner like the other Zoras back there… I heard about what you had done back in Kokiri Forest and Death Mountain from Navi here. I must say, you are quite amazing, I wish I could be as brave and adventurous as you someday…" 

_You will, Link… Maiku thought to himself__ …as long as nothing **bad happens to you. "If you… wish that you were so brave and adventurous like me…" he said, "Then why did you come all the way up to Zora's Domain to help me?" **_

"I was… wandering around Kokiri Forest and Navi came to me to be my fairy."

"I was mistaken that I was destined to be your fairy, Maiku." Navi said, "I guessed that I was wrong when I wasn't strong enough to tell you when I suspected it."

"Well... I have what you were really supposed to be after, not me…" Maiku said, carefully opening his satchel, taking out the Spiritual Stones of Forest and Fire, "I suppose that you probably found the Spiritual Stone of Water when you found me, right?"

"Yes." Link replied as he took the jewels from Maiku, "But…"

"But…?"

"Aren't I supposed to have a fourth component?" 

"The Ocarina of Time…?"

"Yeah."

"How did you know about that?"

"Navi told me."

"Oh… yeah. But Zelda has the Ocarina of time; I only have my black ocarina."

"Am I to see her?"

"Yes, go now; before something bad happens to you."

"What do you mean?"

"You might run into Ganondorf like I did."

"I should be fine." 

_Hm… if Ganondorf pursues Zelda and Impa when Link gets the Ocarina of Time then maybe I can get the Triforce before he does. He thought to himself. "Are you sure you'll be fine?" he asked_

"Yeah."

"Alright, go on."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, I've gone through worse." He glanced at Navi, "By the way, Navi…"

"Yes?" she replied

"How did you survive being eaten by that fish?"

"Oh, I wasn't digested or chewed up when it swallowed me; besides, when you killed it I was freed." 

"Understandable. Okay you can go."

"Perhaps we'll see you later then, Maiku." Link said as he started to walk away

"… Yeah… see ya…" _Yeah… see you hell, Link... or in seven years… which ever comes first… He thought to himself, __I'll just wait until Ganondorf rides off, then I'll get the Triforce instead of him…_

He waited until Link and Navi were out of sight and when they were, he sat up and searched around in his satchel for the other mask and his ocarina. He found both and took them out, resting them beside him. He picked up the ocarina and started to play a song that he remembered could probably help him to take the mask off. He tried to piece together the notes of the Song of Healing which was featured in the events after Ocarina of Time.  

His face felt as though it were being ripped off by unseen hands as he played the last note of the song. His body began to steam and feel as though it where burning inside and out as his physical and internal aspects of his Zora body was transforming itself into his human self. He began to breathe hard as the back his head began to reduce in size and the fin shrank away, his fish scales slowly and painfully changed into human skin, his feet became normal like a human's; once again, his eyes dissolved from his eye sockets and his normal human eyes came out, his hair sprouted from his head, and all other portions of human anatomy restored themselves. 

He fell unconscious as the whole process ended. 

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He awoke to find himself human, naked, and lying in the river. _Wh- Where am I…?  he thought to himself as he glanced around, realizing that he was completely nude and with a body that matched his age, seventeen years old, and he was still in the same body shape he was in when he was a Zora with small but powerful muscles. _

_I wonder if Ganondorf has already met up with Link…._

He stood up and took a dark crimson tunic and black pants from out of the satchel which was now something like an old back pack, which he found strange that it transformed along with him, but he didn't really complain for it; he had clothes! 

He dressed, put his ocarina in the pack, picked up the other mask which was lying beside him, and he walked out towards Hyrule Field. 

He approached the gate to Hyrule Town Market, and he saw the ending result of Link meeting Ganondorf. He stood there for a while and didn't notice Link and Navi going away from the gate.

_Well... I've got to see what this can do to me, what else do I have to lose? _


	23. Chapter 22: The Mask of Shadow

**_Chapter 22: The Mask of Shadow_**

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He put mask down when he heard foot steps on the grass to his right, "You know, Maiku…" he heard a voice of a young boy say, "I was thinking…" it was Link. 

Navi flickered, "He's human again…?" 

"What? What do you mean?"

"He…" Navi started but was interrupted by Maiku

"I am not a Zora by blood; it was by magic, Link… very strong… magic…." He said, placing the mask in his tunic

"Oh…" 

"That's that other mask…" Navi said suddenly when she noticed the mask in his hands

"What do you mean?"

"He… _found two masks… one enabled him to be a Zora… and I don't know what the other one was for."_

"But… you may find out…" Maiku said, "If you wish to stay and stick around, Navi."

"I don't think that's a very smart think to do, Maiku. You don't know what that thing is capable of!!!"

"That's why I'm going to try it on!"

"No!" 

"You have no say in this!!!" 

"But I care about you, Maiku! I believe that you are a really good person! You just need some anger management!!"

"Shut up!!!" 

"Maiku, please think this over!!!"

"Enough!!!" 

_Maiku…he heard an ominous voice say in the back of his mind_

"What…?" he said aloud

"Maiku…?" said Link, "Are you okay?"

"Who are you…?!" he said seemingly to himself

_I am… your psyche…or the mental state you are currently in._

"My… what?"

"Maiku?" Navi said, "What is it? What's wrong?"

_Your mental well being..._

"What do you want?"

"Hello…?! Hyrule to Maiku!!!" Navi screamed out, "Wake up!!!"

"This feeling he has…" Link said, "Is it… fear?"

Maiku started to sway as if in a trance. "What are you talking about…?" he said in an oddly soothing tone, "I feel fine… Never felt better…" 

"But…" Navi said, "I feel strong energies of darkness around you!"

"I feel… great…. You're just overreacting… calm down, Navi…."

"This is unlike you Maiku! You would usually hit me or something!" 

"What are you talking about…? …. I would never _harm you…"_

"… There's something wrong with you, Maiku… Snap out of it!!!!"

"…." He stopped swaying, "Agh!! My head!!!" He took out the mask from his tunic and held it in front of himself, the Mask of Shadow, the mask that he strangely knew of its presence and power, the mask of absolute dark and evil energy… the Mask of Shadow. 

The mask itself was black and had no fancy designs or colorations decorating it like other masks he had seen in his lifetime; two slanted rectangular eye slits where the only openings that separated the wearer's face and the outside world, a single red line ran down the center after leaving two and a half inches of space, dark crimson designs of spikes under the eyeholes and on each side of the center line, and a black crystal on the very top in the center; there was no mouth hole.

"Please Maiku!" Navi screamed, "Please reconsider this decision of putting that mask on! Remember, you almost died as a Zora when you on Death Mountain!" 

"That is the past…" Maiku replied as he moved the mask closer to his face, he took a deep breath and placed the mask onto his face.

As soon as he placed the mask upon his face, five black and red tentacles emerged from the mask. They snaked themselves around his head and just like the Zora mask, the tentacles excreted a black oily liquid that enveloped his whole body, the liquids penetrated his skin and instantly flowed into his veins, sending an extremely excruciating burning sensation within his whole body, he screamed out but only his muffled voice blocked by the tentacles. 

"Maiku!!!" Link yelled out as the mask bound itself to Maiku's face, "Navi, can you do anything for him?"

"Not a thing." Navi replied

Maiku's heavy breathing suddenly emerged, but not his human voice, this breathing was more animalistic and dark than a human can bring out; he screamed out in pain and collapsed, his body drained of energy from the sudden change again.


	24. Chapter 23: Hyrule Town Market Again

_Author's Note: Before I begin with this chapter, I would like to say that I am adding index like things in the chapters in case if there is any further explanation on anything, just look for a number in a parentheses like "(1)" and there will be an explanation in the brackets on the bottom of the page like "[blah, blah, BLAH]". Okay? That's my new system! ^_^_

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**_Chapter 23:  _****_Hyrule_********_Town_****_ Market Again_**

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"Maiku?" Link said with concern as he stood over Maiku's body with the Mask of Shadow bound to his body.

"Maiku…?" Navi said as she flew around him, "Are you okay…?"

"Ngh…. Na… Navi?" Maiku replied painfully, "Is that you…? I… I feel as though…"

"Feel as though…?"

"I feel as though I was… pierced through various parts of my body by tentacles or something…" He weakly tried to get up, fell and was surprised to see Link giving him help to stand.

"Well… you were uh…" Link said as he looked up at Maiku

"What…? What happened to me, Link…?"

"Well, when you were out… those tentacles that came out of the mask started to uh… drive themselves into your body in various places. Namely the back of your neck, legs, arms, chest, and head…"

"No wonder why my neck hurts like a bitch…" he mumbled, "… Did you get the…Ocarina of Time yet?"

"Yes."

"Complete your goal… for Zelda, don't worry about me… I'll be fine."

"Do you feel well enough to walk around…?"

"Yes, now go…" he looked at Navi, "Especially you, insect… get out of my sight at once!"

"What? Maiku…" Navi said, "What are you saying…? What are you going to do…?"

"Calm down, Maiku!" Link said

"I'm sorry Link…"

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry that I…." he drew his sword, it was similar to a samurai blade but longer (1) "Have to kill you along with your little firefly!" 

"Hey, I didn't mean anything…!"

"… No…" his eyes changed from brown to crimson, "… You are not going to stop me…!"

"This really isn't funny, Maiku!" 

"I'm not joking…"

"Okay, then…" Link kneeled and gathered some sand into his hand, threw it into Maiku's face, temporarily blinding him, "Come on Navi! Let's get out of here!!!" He and Navi ran away into the Town beyond the gate.

"Come back here you little bastard!!!" Maiku roared as he brushed the sand from out of his eyes and ran after Link and Navi in the Town.

*                                  *                                  *

"Excuse me, miss?" Link said to a young woman, "Do you know where I can find the… Temple of Time?" 

"Of course, it's right over there." The young woman pointed towards an old looking church.

"Thank you, come on Navi!" he ran towards the Temple, Maiku stepped into the market, still with his sword in hand. 

_Where the fuck is that little bastard?! Maiku thought to himself. He glanced around and saw a faint blue ball and a patch of green moving towards the Temple of Time. __Well… now that he's going to pull the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time…I guess I can do the destruction of this pathetic town and spare Ganondorf the pleasure of doing so…_

He leapt on the roof of a nearby building and crouched, glaring at the people below. A deep hatred started to burn within him, hatred to the good people of the town, hatred towards those who hadn't experienced what he had; his adventures and putting on the mask had hardened his soul. For that, he was burning within with anger and jealousy. 

"Look at all you… worthless Hylians…" he mumbled and narrowed his eyes, "…you have all lived long enough. May the destruction of Hyrule start with a sacrifice; the sacrifice of you insignificant people shall be the beginning of my wrath!!!!" 

He leapt off the roof and landed lightly on his feet in the center of town. He inadvertently let out a terrifying, out worldly and inhuman cry that sounded like a mixture of both the sound of now tainted soul and the agonized screams of the damned which drowned out the market goers' offers and deals for a good bargain from his ears. 

The Hylians around him stopped and turned to stare at him all at the same time. His body was now being shrouded in thick darkness and only two red eyes had created a temporary form, he realized that the mask was taking over and that his body was becoming a vessel for the spirit which resided within the mask. Everyone surrounding him all screamed at the same time in terror and tried to flee the area but the mask didn't want them to and shrouded the entire area in thick darkness; through the eyeholes of the mask which was slowly becoming a part of his face permanently he could as though it were he was in daylight, he could see the foolish Hylians still trying to flee but only to run into each other. 

He made two black & red sleek and smooth tentacles emerge from his body and, by reaction, stabbed them into someone small who ran into him; his ears were filled with the high pitched scream of a child as he felt the tentacles pass through body of the child. He noticed a pillar of light form in the distance and realized that Link had pulled the Master Sword from out of the Pedestal of Time and was now being preserved, the darkness faded when the pillar of light did and every body in the market stopped once again to stare at him and what he had done.

He looked down to see who he had killed and discovered the body of a girl around ten years old impaled on his tentacles that were through her head and another through her back and out her stomach, blood was still oozing out of the wounds. Her screams echoed through his ears and mind, an oddly soothing sound… music to his drastically transformed mind. He withdrew the tentacles and watched her body fall to the ground like a rag doll with morbid glee. He realized that the people were still staring at him and he glanced up to face them, his eyes were scanning the crowd as if in search of the child's parents; not to pity or regret what he had done, but to see how much enmity he could channel from the parents. He knelt and picked up the body of the child by the hair like a trophy from a wild game hunt. 

A woman's scream broke the dead silence and filled his ears, "Sara!!!! No!!!!!" she screamed at the limp body of what used to be her daughter and turned her attention, "How… How could you?! You… you bastard!!!" 

He did not respond, feeling nothing of the child's death by him; he just tossed the child's body aside and approached the woman slowly, his tentacles moving steadily as if they were sniffing out blood or something else.

In a blind rage she ran at him and attempted to punch him in the face; before she even touched him, he outstretched his arm and made ten more tentacles emerge from his body. He thrust two into her stomach, and her screams made a part of him queasy while the controlling part loved every pitch of the dying scream, fueling his dark desire for death even more. He thrust the other ten into the ground, lifted his feet off the ground as he was supported by the tentacles and curled up as he channeled energy which emerged from his body in a black and crimson hue; he unleashed the energy to the ground, engulfing the ground each person was standing on in dark fire, multiplying the sound of the people's screams by about two times their normal volume. He withdrew the tentacles from out of the woman and the ground, retracted them back into his body, and went down to one knee. He breathed hard, a faint growl formed in his throat, "**Damn…!" he heard himself say in a voice that sounded almost like a growl, "****This… body is too weak now… I must make it more experienced to use my power… maybe in a few years it will be experienced…" **

_What? He thought to himself, __I… I didn't say that just now… no… it wasn't me. Couldn't have been…_

**_You sound surprised… the voice he had spoken with just now said to him mentally; _****_… Did you not know what I was…?_**

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_…I had a feeling… but I…_

**_Didn't know anything…?_**

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_Yes…_

**_Well, you now have me… I will be on you for the rest of your miserable life…_**

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_I figured that…_

**_What is yours is mine… and what is mine is mine…_**

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_And that means…_

**_We are bound together until that __Link_**** finds someway to destroy us…**

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_We must not let him…_

**_We must kill him before we have the chance…_**

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_But he is in the __Temple__ of __Time__… we will be destroyed if we try to enter it…_

**_Then we shall wait until he wakes up… but you also must find a way to get that Triforce that you are seeking…_**

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_I think that Ganondorf has it now…_

**_Then we will have to join up with him until you can kill him later on…_**

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_Yes… then I can kill him for ruining my life as a Zora…_

He hovered high into the air and gathered more energy through his body, released and destroyed the whole town before running out of the town square to find Ganondorf… wherever he was…

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_(1)[The sword in question looks like Sephiroth's (Final Fantasy VII) Masamune Blade; I know it's a rip off… maybe…]_


	25. Chapter 24: The Deal With Ganondorf

**_Chapter 24: The Deal With Ganondorf_**

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With the deaths of the people killed in Hyrule Town Market and Link's spirit being sealed away in the Sacred Realm by the Master Sword's power behind Maiku, he focussed his attention completely on Ganondorf and he knew where he probobly was at... the Gerudo Fortress. Ganondorf was surrounded by women, the Gerudo, the all female race in Hyrule that strangely enough had a male born every thousand years. He still didn't see how all that panned out; the whole one male being born every X amount of years thing, but he supposed it had to make some sense after he had been able to understand it in the next seven years of his life in Hyrule and he had a feeling it would be a long seven years for him.

As he traveled by foot to the Gerudo Valley, he couldn't help but think exactly where Zelda and Impa had gone. They couldn't have gone very far, Ganondorf was only delayed by Link for about a minute, maybe if he was lucky. But their horse was traveling faster than any horse he had seen; on the other hand, Ganondorf probobly stressed his horse to travel at its fastest probable speed, so Zelda and Impa probably escaped in time. But since he knew almost exactly what was going to happen during Link's adulthood adventure and some parts of his partial childhood; so with that knowledge, he would make Link's quest tougher on him than the original course was supposed to be like.... but how?

He would have to find a way to be allied with Ganondorf some how. Even though Ganondorf did ruin his life in Zora form, he wouldn't have killed those people in the market if it weren't for him. But Maiku was just placing the blame on someone else, he knew it was his own fault that the Zoras died along with his precious Ruto. Even though he had these emotional scars torturing  him quietly, he could not allow himself to show any weakness before the Gerudo King, and future king of Evil. 

*                                  *                                  *

The Gerudo Fortress was exactly the same as it had appeared to be as he remembered it to be from the counterpart; a large stone built structure foundated directly inside of a large cliff. It was actually rather breath taking seeing it with his own eyes than seeing it as he had before. He guessed that the Desert Colossus was even more magnificent inside and out by actually seeing it by himself. He would have to visit it later. 

"Hey!" he heard a female voice say behind him and he felt the sharp point of her spear on his back, "Who are you? What business do you have here?"

"If you would let me turn around to face you..." he replied with hostility in his voice as he slightly glanced back, "... I could explain."

"Well?" she pulled the spear away from his back, "What are you doing here?"

He turned around to face her, she was wearing exactly what he had seen before; a cloth covering her mouth, arabian style pants, and a midriff shirt; her skin was a medium brown, her eyes were golden and her hair was fiery orange. "I want to know if Ganondorf, your King, is around here somewhere...."

"Ganondorf, huh?" 

"Yes."

"Well, he isn't here right now."

"Where is he?"

"Come, I'll tell you inside the Fortress."

"And you won't imprison me?"

"Yes, I will not imprison you."

"And why is that?"

"Because..."

He could see a smile form under the cloth over her mouth and saw the reflection of another Gerudo sneaking behind him in her eyes. "You are a horrible liar, Gerudo..." he replied, he moved his eyes to the side, "I see you sneaking behind me... so don't even try any sneaky tactics that you may have learned." He turned his attention back to the guard before him, "Now... let me meet him when he comes... and don't try anything funny...."

"Meaning...?"

"Meaning.... that I will not tolerate being imprisoned in that cell in the cliff."

"What are you women doing? Why haven't you captured him yet?" the voice of a man broke over them, "Who are you?"

He turned around to see Ganondorf before him, "Ganondorf, I presume?" he said

"Yes."

"... I knew it."

"You are... different somehow. That mask..."

"It is the Mask of Shadow... but that is irrevelent right now. I have come to make a proposition... Ganondorf."

"Which is...?"

"I can... help you get the missing peices of the Triforce that I know you need. It has come to my attention that you hold the mark of the Triforce of Power in your hand. You are missing the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage which I know that Zelda and Link hold."

"How did you... know about that?"

"I can... forsee... things for the future. And your future in seven years does not seem very promising."

"What is it then?"

"You will be destroyed at the hands of the Hero of Time, Link, and the Master Sword... along with the Six Sages that are in need of their awakening when the Hero of Time finally wakes up. Yes, you will be powerful... but not strong enough to destroy Link. I can help you prevent this future. That is, if you comply with my want to ally with you."

"Hmm.... let me think this over..."

"I await your decision. I will be waiting above the cell, I suggest that you do NOT try to betray me. I should be a great help to you, Ganondorf."


	26. Chapter 25: The Temple of Time

**_Chapter 25: _****_Temple_****_ of _****_Time_****__**

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Seven years passed and Hyrule was thrown into chaos, destruction and carnage; however Link, Zelda and Impa were still nowhere to be found. "Damn it!" Maiku said aloud as took the mouth piece of his black ocarina out of his mouth as he sat on a boulder around what used to be Zora's Domain, "I still can't concentrate around here..." he had learned to temporarily form a mouth hole in the mask over the years.

Zora's Domain was just a shadow of its former glory, most of the cavern was caved in and the Zoras who were lost on that day Ganondorf killed them all had unmarked graves in the cavern. He had done in his free time over the years to bury every Zora who had died, and Ruto had an even more special grave. He still possessed the same artistic talent he had when he was still a normal person, and he had learned to carve a perfect statue of Ruto to make a memorial of her about two months after he joined Ganondorf. 

He closed his eyes as he stood by her memorial on the highest cliff in Zora's Fountain. "I would never have joined Ganondorf if he hadn't killed you Ruto..." he said softly, "... I would still be a Zora and would have lived a long and happy life with you. This song I will play on my ocarina is an embodiment of how I felt on that day."

He placed the mouth piece to his lips behind the mask and played a song he had heard sometime but couldn't remember where he had heard it... The Elegy of Emptiness.

"Maiku!" he heard Ganondorf, the now King of Evil, say from behind him.

He stopped when he ended the song and turned around to face him, "What is it Ganondorf?"

"You have been here for way too long."

"And your point is...?"

"I understand that you may have lost that Zora woman because of me... and that you were that odd Zora who was married to her... but you cannot keep doing this!"

"Oh yeah, I should be time to see if Link has woken up yet...."

"Then go and try to see if you can do anything to delay him." 

"Of course, Ganondorf." He put his ocarina into his pack and vanished.

"Make sure he doesn't get everything easily..."

*                                              *                                              *

He appeared in the Temple of Time, it was now actually darker than it had been years ago; there were lots of places were he could hide in the shadows, out of Link or Sheik's sight. He stood in a corner of the room where Link was frozen in time with the Master Sword in his hands as he had done when he pulled it out of the Pedestal of Time those seven years ago. 

Link looked just as he did in the many pictures he had seen before. He was still wearing that green Kokiri Tunic he had worn on that day he met him, but now he was wearing something that looked like white spandex but was actually a fine and thin chain mail on his arms and legs. He had brown gloves. was wearing that odd cap, and brown boots.  Navi was frozen in time as well, suspended in the air above Link, watching and waiting for the time of awakening. 

A pale blue pillar of light formed around the platform and he shielded his eyes. He saw Navi start to move, first by flitting her wings and then actually moving; and then Link started to move, he blinked his now deep cerulean eyes. He started to stir, and then jerked his arms to his sides.

_He's waking up... Maiku thought to himself, __... now after Navi starts to speak and then Link walks away to get out of here; Sheik, or rather Zelda, will appear and tell Link to get the Hookshot from Kakariko Village in order to enter the Forest Temple. He watched and waited._

"Link... we're back in the Temple of Time... But have seven years really passed?" Navi said as she started to glance out of the room, not seeing Maiku in the darkest corner. "It looks like you won't be able to use some of the weapons you found as a kid anymore..."

_Stop lying, Navi... Maiku thought to himself, __He can use them... they just won't look right... well, maybe the Slingshot I left him._

"The Temple hasn't even changed at all, though." Link said

"Well... Let's get out of here and see if anything else has changed."

"Yeah." Link started to walk to the hallway leading out of the chamber beyond the Door of Time but he stopped when he heard the light tap of a boot with hollow wood heels on the hard stone floor of the platform. He drew his sword and turned around to see a young blond person wearing tightfitting blue and white clothing with the red symbol of the Sheikah patched on his or her chest. 

"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time..." said the young Sheikah

"Huh?!" Link started, "What? How do you...?"

"When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples." the Sheikah continued, "One in a deep forest... One on a high mountain... One under a vast lake... One within the house of the dead... One inside a goddess of the sand... Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world... This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah."

"The Sheikah...?" Link said, "Like Impa...? Who are you?"

"I am Sheik." the Sheikah answered, "Survivor of the Sheikahs... As I see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time. If you believe the legend, you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages... One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple." Sheik crossed his arms, "The Sage is a girl I am sure you know..."

_Saria__... Maiku thought to himself_

"Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm... Unfortunately, equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple..." Sheik continued, "But, if you believe what I'm saying, you should head to Kakariko Village... Do you understand, Link?"

"Yes..." Link said, "I do understand, but has anything changed over the years while Iwas asleep?" 

"I cannot answer that."

"Why?"

"Why should the Hero of Time be curious?"

"Good point... okay, I'll go..." Link walked out and Sheik remained to stand on the platform.

"Ah..." Maiku said as he stepped out of the shadows towards Sheik, "The survivor of Sheikah is helping the Hero of Time, Link, to awaken the Sages. But... about the Sage of the Water Temple..."

Shek turned around to face him, "Who are you?" the supposed Sheikah said

"My name is of no importance... now... who is Water Temple sage?"

"You are... wearing the Mask of Shadow. But I thought that..."

"Why should you care, Sheik?" he stepped closer, "I just want to know who the Water Temple Sage is... I thought that the Zoras became extinct as Ganondorf was searching for the keys to the Door of Time. I understand that Princess Ruto was destined to be the Water Temple Sage, but she was killed at the hands of Ganondorf. So just who is the sage now?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"I... just want to know. It's not a hard question to answer."

"There were some Zoras hiding, they began to use the underwater caverns as shelter. Every Zora was so heartbroken when the Royal Family died along with Ruto and her new husband that they decided to live in the caverns deep below Hyrule. And so, the High Priestess is the Sage of the Water Temple now. But.. how did you know?"

"Nevermind that. So the Hero of Time is going to recieve the Hookshot from the spirit of Dampé, the grave keeper?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Zelda, I know that's you under that disquise of the Sheikah."

Sheik gasped, "How did you..?"

He chuckled harshly, "You are such a fool to think that you can hide from Ganondorf, now if you don't mind..." he outstretched his arm with his gloved hand outstretched as well, "Come with me, Princess... Ganondorf awaits you..."

"Never! I escaped from the castle for that very reason! I'd rather fight and die than go willingly to Ganondorf, that vile man!"

"Oh now that's not a very nice thing to say about my ally, Princess."

She got into a fighting stance, "I don't care. I've been training to fight, I should be able to defend myself and hold you off!"

He gathered energy into his hand and fired it at her, striking her and knocking her to the ground. "Hmph. Now what will Link do without your guidance and songs to warp?" he said as he put his arm down and grasped the back of her head and lifted it up, "Listen to me very closely, Zelda... You will **not utter a word of our encounter to Link when you see him next! Got it?! If you do... I will seriously reconsider letting you live. Believe me, I will not think twice about killing you... I did kill the entire population in Hyrule Town Market seven years ago."**

"Who... who are you...?"

"Me...? I am Maiku, the person you originally set on the quest to recieve the Spiritual Stones for you."

"M... Maiku...? Why?"

"I originally wanted to stones only for myself; I just wanted to see how everything would play out. Until we meet again, Princess..." he turned around and vanished into the shadows.

Sheik weakly pushed herself off of the ground, "Maiku..." she said and stood up, brushing dirt off her outfit, "So, you have joined Ganondorf... but why have you even decided to slump that low?" She walked out of the room, and then ran out of the Temple of Time towards the Lost Woods.


	27. Chapter 26: Hyrule, Seven Years After

**_Chapter 26: Hyrule, Seven Years After _**

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Meanwhile, as Link and Navi walked out of the Temple of Time and into the dreary and depressing environment of the world seven years after he pulled the sword from the Pedestal of Time after running from Maiku after he put on that mask outside the town walls. The entire market was in ruins, a shadow of its former prosperity. The bodies of the civilians killed were still exactly where they were from seven years before, their bodies badly burned and still gave off the feeling of a great evil. Some were condemned to a damned exsistance of being Redeads for the rest of the days that their bodies can with stand.

Link could only guess that Maiku had been the cause of this death in the market and he didn't even want to think about what else he had done over the years. Even as he pulled the Master Sword which he now had sheathed behind a Hylian Shield he had found when he was exploring Kakariko Village's Graveyard; he had been telekinetically contacted by Ganondorf. 

_What if Maiku joined Ganondorf? He thought to himself, __What if... I have to face him? How strong will he be? I know he was holding back from killing me back then... like if he knew that I would be of some use..._

"Link?" Navi said, startling him as he was making his way through the ruins of the market, "What's on your mind?"

"I'm just trying to peice together things... you know, because of the seven years progressed." Link replied

"Oh yeah. Well, according to what Sheik said... we have to go to Kakariko Village to get something that would help you enter the Forest Temple."

"Right." He began to run out of the market square but stopped. finding that a hole had formed in the middle of the pathway, "Well, since I'm older... I can probably jump it... here goes!" He took a few steps back and performed a running jump clear over the hole. "Well that was easier than it looked. Now, onto Kakariko Village!" He continued his run out of the market and into Hyrule Field.

He didn't even bother to try and see what was around him on the field, he only kept his focus ahead and ran towards Kakariko Village.

*                                              *                                              *

"Damn it Maiku!" Ganondorf yelled at Maiku as he slammed him against the wall with one hand, "Why didn't you take care of him like I ordered you to?!" 

"Because Ganondorf..." Maiku replied calmly, "You need him alive..."

"What?"

"You heard me..." he put one hand on Ganondorf's and pushed it away, slipping away from the wall, "You need him to stay alive for now.... If I killed him in the Temple of Time, you wouldn't be able to get his piece of the Triforce..."

".... I guess you are right..."

"Of course..." he began to walk out of Ganondorf's chamber on the top floor of the tower that is in the exact place that Hyrule Castle used to be, "I will wander around Hyrule for a while, if you don't mind..."

"You're visiting Zora's Domain again?"

He glanced back over his shoulder, "Why should you care?" he continued to walk out but Ganondorf stopped him again.

"You visit that place too much."

"As I said before... why should you care? I don't see you going to Gerudo's Fortress in your freetime..."

"Exactly."

"I just need time to think about how I should delay Link... maybe something in the Forest Temple...." 

"You are the one in charge of the temples."

"Yeah, because I know what will happen. And I must plan correctly or else it will be way too easy for that damn Hylian."

"I thought he was a Kokiri?"

"... You really don't know much about the races of Hyrule... do you, Ganondorf?"

"What did you just say?"

"The Kokiri are... like never dying children... they never age.... the little bastards are ageless. If Link had aged, that means he is **not a Kokiri. He is a Hylian... destined for great things." he turned to face Ganondorf, "Some time ago, before the King of Hyrule unified this country, there was a fierce war in the world. One day, to escape from the fires of the war, a Hylian mother and her baby boy entered the forbidden Kokiri Forest which rested in the center of the Lost Woods. The mother was gravely injured... Her only choice was to entrust the child to the Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the forest. The Deku Tree could sense that this was a child of destiny, whose fate would affect the entire world, so he took him into the forest. After the mother passed away, the baby was raised as a Kokiri." He sighed, "But before I let him get too close I'll find some kind of way to seriously delay him."**

"Maiku."

"What?"

"Why do you hate him so much?"

"He delayed me of my goal seven years in the past... that's all I will say... I will not mention anything of my past before then..." He turned around again and walked away, stopping at the doorway, "By the way... I know where Zelda is... or rather who she is. I will tell you later..." He stepped out.

*                                              *                                              *

"Ugh!" Link grunted as he began to push a tombstone forward, "It's heavier than it looks."

"Well," Navi replied, "It _is a stone block."_

"You have a point there..."

"According to that man, the ghost of Dampé has something... I bet it's the object that Sheik said that we need to enter the Forest Temple."

He finally managed to push the tombstone away, revealing a hole. "It's pretty deep..." 

"C'mon, don't be such a wimp!"

"Navi..." 

"Yes..?"

"Shut up..." he dropped into the hole, into Dampé's tomb


	28. Chapter 27: Saria and Maiku

**_Chapter 27: Saria and Maiku_**

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The Kokiri Forest was still as green and peaceful than it had been seven years before, the Kokiri children were still as joyful and cheerful than they had ever been. Mido was nowhere to be seen, not in his house or guarding the path to the Great Deku Tree. But the forest was less comforting than it had been, Saria had been waiting for her best friends Link and Maiku to return, but none of them ever came back. 

Her cerulean eyes were still so full of life, and her light green hair still had that gentle glow to it. But now, her eyes were full of fear as she made her way through the forest temple to its main chamber underground. "Saria.." started her fairy, "Maybe we should go back."

"No, Keco..." Saria replied, "I can't go back. I feel as though I belong here."

"But why can't we wait for Link or Maiku a little bit longer?"

"Because, I've waited long enough for either of them to come back. I can't wait any longer."

"But why?"

"Every passing day the monster population in the forest increases. I need to protect them. I need to purify the forest-" she stopped as she heard the sound of a young man's voice. She followed the sound down a hallway and onto a balcony overlooking one of the gardens to eavsdrop on a young man with long black hair that was tied back and was wearing a blood red tunic, black pants, dark silver gautlets, and black boots; who appeared to be talking with ghosts of four young women.

"Poe Sisters." Maiku started, "In about a day, Link will be here. I need you girls to delay him by any means nessessary, understand?"

"But Maiku." replied a woman wearing all amethyst

"What is it Meg?"

"How do you suggest that we do that?"

"I don't know. Do what you're best at." he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall behind him, "Just don't do anything that will make it easy for him to defeat you four. Ganondorf's Phantom is, I fear, any easy opponent for the Hero of Time's skill."

On the balcony, Saria was overhearing the whole thing; but didn't make out the name of the young man because of the woman's air thin voice. 

"Oh yeah... and Meg..." he said

"Yes?" 

"Don't screw up. Ganondorf does not tolerate failure."

"Yes, I understand."

The serpent like pupils of Maiku's crimson eyes became smaller as his ears picked up the sound of a young girl's breathing. "Who's there?" he said in the direction of the breathing but had no answer come back. "Meg."

"Yes?"

"Get whoever is up there and bring her down here."

"At once." she flew up to where Saria was and grabbed her arms, forced them behind her back and brought her down to him.

"Let me go!" Saria screamed as Meg's grip became tighter.

"Release her." Maiku ordered

Saria fells to her knees as she was released, "What are you doing here?" she demanded, "You are the cause of the sudden increase in the monster population in the forest, aren't you?"

"So? What if I am, Saria?"

"How did you... know my name?"

"Because... you knew me..."

"That black hair... You're Maiku, aren't you?"

He nodded

"But why are you doing this?"

"Because... I grow weary of all the love and kindness from all the little protagonistic weaklings around Hyrule. Plus... it's also because of a certain little object..."

"You can't mean...!"

"Yes..."he searched around in his pack and took out a smooth black object that resembled an ocarina, "The ocarina that we made from the wood of the Ankoku Tree those long seven years ago."

"You wanted that madness to come to you, didn't you?"

"Yes." he kneeled and put his right hand on her shoulder, "But don't worry, Saria. I will not kill you. You are.... important to me and Link in a way I cannot explain." He smiled under his mask, "You have some importance to me, still... I'm not letting you live as an enemy... rather, as a friend."

"You've lost your mind..." she put her head down and closed her eyes, "You're not the Maiku I used to know."

"Exactly... that's the point."

She snapped her head upwards to face him, "What?"

He held her chin in his hand, "That's the reason why I didn't want your Fairy Ocarina when I left the forest for the first time. Now, my precious Forest Sage.... I need you for something."

"What did you just call me?" her eyes became watery as she started to cry for a reason that Maiku could not understand

"Forest Sage. You did know that, right?"

"I... I...."

"Pathetic... can't even answer a question... I am disappointed in you, Saria." he glanced over to Meg, "Meg."

"Yes?" she replied

"Take her to the portrait room... and make sure that she does not have a way to get out...."

"At once."

"Maiku!" Saria screamed. "Please don't do this! I know you are a good person, look deep into your heart and reconsider your actions!"

"Oh really?" he snapped at her, "Do you really _know who I am and __where I came from?"_

"What are you... saying?"

"Oh nothing..." he gestured for Meg to take her away, "Meg, make sure she is well fed. I don't want Link to find a deathly ill Sage."


	29. Chapter 28: Hookshot

**_Chapter 28: Hookshot_**

****

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****

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****

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"Hehehe, young man..." the ghost of Dampé said as Link caught up to him

".... Dampé...!" Link gasped in between breaths as he bent over to catch his breath, ".... I... finally caught... up to... you. Are we... done?"

"You were very quick to be able to keep up with me! Hehehe! As a reward, I'm going to give you my treasure." 

"What is it?"

"It's called the Hookshot!"

"And that means...?"

"It's spring-loaded chain will pull you to any spot where its hook sticks. Doesn't that sound cool? I'm sure it will help you!"

"Yeah, that's what... Sheik said we need."

"I live here now, so come back again sometime. I'll give you something cool! One more thing!" 

"What?"

"Be careful on your way back! Heheheh...."

Out of nowhere, a large chest materialized in front of Link; he opened it and took out the Hookshot. "This'll come in handy..." he remarked and ran out of the chamber

He stopped when he ran right into a large blue stone pillar, he fell onto his back and glanced up to the pillar. It had the same markings that the Door of Time had, the emblem of a sun with multiple rays emerging from it.

He took the Ocarina of Time from his side pack and played the Song of Time. The pillar was enveloped by a light blue pillar of light and vanished, revealing a ledge with stairs beyond it. He ran, jumped, and grabbed onto the ledge; he pulled himself up and ran to the top of the stairs. As soon as he reached the top, a lighthearted tone filled his ears. He didn't notice the ledge that was at the end of staircase; he fell, was hit by the top of the windmill support and fell onto his back on a rotating platform. 

"Link!" he heard Navi cry his name, "Are you alright?" 

"How do you think I feel??" he replied, "I just fell off of a high ledge, was hit by something and fell onto my back... how do think I should feel....?"

"Oh... my mistake! Sorry."

He got up, stepped off of the platform when it reached the door way, and left the windmill.

*                                              *                                              *

"Ganondorf... The Forest Sage is under control." Maiku said as he stood at the doorway of Ganondorf's Chamber, "I have a question though..."

"What?" Ganondorf replied.

"Well, I have a feeling that the Phantom in the Temple will not be strong enough to trouble Link very much."

"What are you saying?"

"What I am saying is that you should increase the strength of the Phantom."

"... I'll consider it..."

"Time is running out...! Link is getting closer to the Temple by the minute, and I know those damn Kokiri will not be any trouble to him."

"And why is that?"

".... I have increased the monster population in the forest. The Kokiri Children are too afraid of the monsters to do even so much as leave their homes." He began to leave, "I will observe the Phantom's performance... if you wish it, that is...."

"Yes..."

"Yes Ganondorf."

*                              *                              *

"The Kokiri Forest..." Link said as he stepped through the hollowed out log tunnel into the clearing, ".... I never thought I'd have to come back here...." He glanced around and noticed that all of his childhood friends were gone, "Where is everybody...?"

"Link." Navi said, "I don't like this... it's too quiet..."

"Yeah..."

As he explored what was his home, he began to feel more uneasy every passing minute; everyone was gone...

"Maybe... they're just in the Lost Woods somewhere... or maybe their homes!"

"Maybe..."

"I think we should check the houses first!" 

"Yes."

_"Link..." he heard a quiet voice say, __"Where are you...?"_

"Huh?"

_"Link.... I'm waiting...."_

"Saria?"

_"Please come and save me Link..."_

Link closed his eyes and concentrated, seeing a faint vision of Saria with her head down in the center of a room with a painted Triforce symbol on the floor, "I'm here, Saria."

She looked up, _"Great! You're safe!__"_

"It's been a long seven years but I'm safe."

_"I knew I would hear from you again!__" ___

"Where are you?"__

_"I'm in the Forest Temple!__"_

"The Forest Temple? Why there?"__

_"The forest spirits were calling for help, so I went to check it out...__ But it's full of evil monsters !__ Help me, Link !__"_

He broke his concentration when he felt a slight nudge on his leg, he glanced down expecting a Kokiri to be there but instead he saw the leaf of a huge Deku Baba wrapped around his lower leg. He jerked his leg back, broke out of the grip of the Baba and ran towards the Lost Woods. The Baba population seemed to have tripled as he ran towards the Lost Woods entrance; they sprouted out of the ground on both sides, snapping at his arms and legs as he ran like a madman. He finally arrived at the tunnel and dashed into the depths of the Lost Woods.__


	30. Chapter 29: Forest Temple Chamber

**Chapter 29: ****Forest****Temple****Chamber******

"Link…" Saria said quietly as she sat in the center of a fairly sized chamber with a symbol of three golden triangles connected at their points painted in the center. Paintings of a gloomy trail leading to an ominous castle lined the wall; a single staircase led to an unseen hallway somewhere else in the room, spear-like rope barriers lined the sides of the platform on which she sat, "Please come soon."

She heard footfalls coming from somewhere in the room but couldn't determine its source because of the echoes that bounced from every corner of the room, "Link?" she said suddenly expecting to see him, but instead she heard Maiku's voice fill her ears. 

"Link is currently wandering around the Temple, Forest Sage Saria…" he said

"Why do you keep calling me that, Maiku?" she cried out, "Why can't you just call me Saria? Why can't you just be good?"

He stepped into her view, "Good?" his tone harsh and annoyed, "How would anybody accept me to be good with my appearance? I'm slowly changing into something every passing day… and you expect me to become a good person? Can't you sense my aura?"

"Your aura? ….It has a blood red coloration to it with a tint of black."

"Exactly, I am far too emerged into darkness to come back out. I am sorry… but you cannot help me with that."

"How can you say that?"

"Because sweet, sweet Saria… you are but a sleeping sage… you have yet to awaken to fulfill your destiny… but to do that, it seems that you must… die."

"Die…?"

He nodded, "It appears that once your soul leaves the body, it takes its place in the Chamber of Sages in the heart of the Sacred Realm."

"So you are here to free me of my physical being?"

He nodded, a tear slid down the mask's surface, "Yes, I am sorry." He didn't know why he felt so sad about having to kill Saria, perhaps because of her pure innocence, her purity to the world. She had done nothing wrong to him or Ganondorf, it was her sad destiny to meet her demise in the Forest Temple and he was her partially unwilling executioner. He unsheathed a dagger with a decorated one and half foot long blade from behind his back. He thrust the blade into her chest and his ears were filled with her high pitched agonized screams. 

Her blood oozed from out of the wound and dripped onto the cold floor, he withdrew the blade, wiped it clean with his tunic and waited for the Hero of Time to enter the room while cradling Saria's body in his arms. 

*                      *                      *

At the same time Link and Navi where outside of the door to the chamber where Maiku waited for them "So why do I have to awaken the Sages again?" Link remarked.

"To seal Ganondorf away." Navi replied

"Why aren't they awake already…? It would make everything easier if we just had to ask for their aid rather than risking our lives!"

"Hey! You were the one that said to Maiku 'Oh I wish I can go on adventures like you did!'."

"Don't you ever bring that up that I saved Maiku from certain death when he was a Zora…. by seeing that he's our enemy now."

"Don't be so hard on him Link."

"Why do you say that?"

"It was the mask's fault he became evil and joined Ganondorf."

"I think he wanted that, Navi…"

"But I don't think he knew that the mask would takeover like that on a whim."

"What makes you say that…?"

"Well… I don't know…."

"Didn't you say he abused you when you were by his side?"

"Yeah… so what's your point?"

Link groaned and put his hand to his forehead, "Why are you so optimistic?"

"Fairies are optimistic by nature!"

"Oh…" he took a large golden key from out of an inner pocket from inside his tunic and placed it into the lock hole, unlocking the door and entering the chamber beyond. 

Maiku heard the door open and close followed by the sound of boots on the hard stone floor, "You have finally come, Link…" he said and noticed the Hero of Time walk into his view. 

Link's eyes immediately focused on Saria's body in Maiku's arms, "Saria!!!" he clenched his fists, "What did you do to her?!"

"Do not worry about this girl… her soul has fulfilled its destiny and is on its way to the Chamber of Sages so that she can help you seal Ganondorf away when you finally awaken every single sage left…"

"What the…? What are you saying?"

"Are you a total imbecile, Link?" he gently placed Saria's body on the ground and stood up, "Can you not get the meaning of my words?"

"Then speak up, Maiku! Talk normally!"

"Great, Hyrule's got a total imbecile for a hero…" he mumbled under his breath then spoke up, "Listen to me, I want you to fight with all your soul!"

"What the hell…? You mean… you actually want me to succeed."

"In a way, yes… but I can't let you off that easily…" he glanced at a portrait on the wall, "I have a playmate for you to test your skills with…."

Link drew the Master Sword and pointed its blade towards Maiku's mask covered face, "Come on! Fight me!"

He shook his head, "It's not the right time yet. Phantom! Take care of this Hero of Time." He walked into a shadow filled corner of the room and vanished.

"Phantom…?" Link glanced around the room expecting to see a hideous monster or something approaching him but he didn't, "How can you expect me to fight it if I can't see it?"

Maiku's voice filled the room, "Just look at each picture that line the walls… you'll see it… sooner or later…" he said

Link started to walk around the room, glancing at each picture as he passed each. When he started to walk to the staircase four long spears emerged out of the ground, causing him to jump back in surprise. He heard the sound of horse hooves behind him and he turned around, "You!" he cried out, "Ganondorf!" 

It was Ganondorf, it seemed, and he was looming over him just like he did on that day seven years ago, holding a large decorated javelin. To his surprise, Ganondorf reached up to his own face and ripped it clean off of his skull. 

"Ewww!!!!" Navi squeaked, "Disgusting!!!" 

To Link's surprise there was no blood coming from where the face was; instead, the skull was clean and from out of the eye sockets came an amber glow which burned angrily into Link's soul. "What…" he started, "…What is this… thing?"

"C'mon Link!" Maiku's voice filled Link's ears, "Think! I just told you what it is… Phantom Ganon... defeat it and liberate the forest, save your Kokiri friends…" 

His voice stopped; Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath and stared straight at Phantom Ganon with full determination to beat the evil spirit. "For everyone, I shall beat you!" he yelled out, lunged and swung the blade to strike the spirit down….


	31. Chapter 30: Sleep Summons Memories

**Chapter 30: Sleep Summons Memories**

Maiku stood on the roof of the Forest Temple near the entrance where he discovered that it actually stretched out to the far expanses of the Lost Woods and even to a small portion of the borders between Hyrule and the Gerudo territory which had expanded into a vast desert, the Haunted Wasteland as the Gerudo women called it. He began to feel an overpowering feeling of tiredness even though over the years of pursuit alongside Ganondorf he had built up a tolerance to the need to sleep, but somehow he had tired himself out from nearly about two months of senseless slaughter and carnage throughout Hyrule's neighboring countries that he had no idea existed to make sure that they wouldn't try to rally any soldiers to liberate the Gerudo forces' rapid spread throughout the land and even in opposite dimensions.

Ganondorf's seven year campaign to spread the forces of darkness everywhere had become not only Hyrule, but its neighboring countries as well, into a wasteland of death and destruction; and Maiku was usually the one at the castles of each country for a year or two to make sure everything was in order while Ganondorf stayed in Hyrule with his Gerudos.

He had to travel everywhere, usually alone and by horse back, while Ganondorf attended to matters in his home country. He had endured many wounds and even had endured thousands of hardships, and had even had many women in each country but not once had he ever even taken off the Mask of Shadow even though every woman had asked how his face looked like beneath it. Even he didn't know how he looked now. 

*                                              *                                              *

As he drifted off to sleep thousands of thoughts started to flood his mind, but he had one memory from two years prior to the present events that were unfolding now. It was springtime and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom in the small village of Aulk in Hyrule's northern neighbor of Koinel. He just rode into the gates of the village and he was about to dismount his horse in front of the gates when he was approached by a small group of kids, they had grown a deep hatred for him and any of Ganondorf's forces and where trying to start trouble with him. At the time he had held himself back from killing anybody who had approached him, but those little kids just wouldn't ease up about his presence in their hometown. They did so much to him; throwing stones at him, trying to pull his mask off, tackling him, and doing any other things that a kid would do. 

He threw one to the ground and almost immediately some local guards had swarmed around him. He noticed that these guards were actually fully armored and were even equipped with battle swords which were pointed right at his body at the time. "Hey," he said calmly, putting his hands out harmlessly, "I meant no harm. If it's anybody to be punished around here, it's these children." He knew that they wouldn't listen, they only believe what they wanted to believe without any thought if the person accused meant any harm or not. "My name is Maiku, an ally of the great Ganondorf."

"Ganondorf?" said one of the soldiers to another, "Didn't he already takeover Hyrule, Doma, Cotoa and other countries?"

"Yeah he did" answered one 

"Actually," Maiku cut in, "It was I who went to each country… Ganondorf just kept control over Hyrule and remotely controlled the neighboring countries. However, that is not important right now."

"Of course it is!!!" one kid yelled out, "You'll just attack and pillage this village if we refuse to be taken by your forces!!!"

"No," he shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the kid then turned his attention to the guards, "You don't see my method of doing things… I leave the villages and towns alone from death and destruction but I do strike the main sites, more or less the ones with castles in them. But I do not appreciate your mental image of me from the countless stories and rumors that have begun to circulate throughout your neighboring countries. Villages and towns are the ones that have little or no military force, so why should they be attacked by me?"

"Believe what he says!" a female voice cut through a medium sized crowd

"About what?" a soldier asked

"Well, he was assaulted by the children when he walked into the gates." The girl said. Her voice was sensitive and soft, her body frame was seemingly weak but still able to endure harsh labor, her deep brown eyes showed a caring and kind person inside, her hair was black; her skin was light and fair. 

"Are you saying that you are trying to defend this wretched young man, Alicia?" a guard asked the girl

"Yes!" she moved closer to Maiku, "I'm sure he meant no harm to us. Please, let him go."

"….." he glared at the guards but was confused why the girl was trying to help him

The guards and the children went away, leaving them both alone at the gate.

"So, is it true?" she said quietly

"What?" he looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"I've heard stories of an evil young man with long black hair that went down to his shoulders, crimson eyes with serpent-like pupils, long flowing black cape, and spiked shoulder armor who wore a tunic with the color of blood and black pants with matching boots; people have said he wore a mask that had the same colors that he wore."

"Well, yes… I am him." he replied coolly, "However; I am not the blood thirsty monster that anyone says I am… I have a sensitive side, too."

"Really?"

He nodded, "I once… had a wife…"

"Were you… close?"

"Yes… but she died… on the wedding day. Even right after we were wed…"

"Was she cute?"

"Yes, how Zoras are compared by…"

"Zora…? You married… a Zora?"

"Yeah…."


	32. Chapter 31: The Temple Sage

**Chapter 31: The Temple Sage**

Maiku woke up to the feeling of a pointed toe of a boot kicking him in the side, he opened his eyes and saw the hooded face of Zelda, or rather Sheik, glaring down at him angrily. "Wake up, you poor excuse for a man!" she yelled at him.

"Ugh," he groaned, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Zelda? If I wasn't waking up right now I'd beat your blond, tight wearing ass in a heartbeat!"

"Do you have to heart?"

"What are you talking about…?" he yawned

"Killing the Forest Sage… what exactly is your problem?" she crossed her arms tightly in front of her chest

"I was just sending her soul away… to her place in the Chamber of Sages… besides, why should you care?"

"Are you just acting without thinking first? The Sages can't make their way to the…" she stopped and looked directly at him, "How do you know about the Chamber?"

"I know a lot of things, Princess…" he got up and started to walk away, "… Just make sure you steer the Hero of Time in the right direction…" He stopped when he reached the edge of the roof to the front entrance and glanced back at her, "Until later, Zelda…" He leapt off of the roof, landed on his feet and ran into the Lost Woods.

"Damn it… Maiku, you have no idea what is growing inside of you…" she said solemnly and ran away in the opposite direction.

*                                  *                                  *

Link fell to one knee as he landed the final slice onto the Phantom, sweat and blood mixed together on his face as he breathed hard, exhausted from the battle. "I finally… beat him…" he gasped and supported his weight on the sword as he stood up. The Phantom started to convulse in pain as it began to slowly dissolve and an amethyst colored vortex formed in the center of the room, its voice bellowed in pain as more particles of its body began to unattach themselves from it and descend into the vortex.

"Hey kid," Ganondorf's voice boomed from somewhere in the room, "You did quite well."

"Ganondorf!" Link yelled out, "Where are you? Show your face!"

"It looks like you may be gaining some slight skill... But you have defeated only my phantom..."

"Why did you send Maiku here; why did he have to kill Saria?!"

"I did not send him there to kill your precious Saria… he did that on his own."

"What?"

"I only told him to do whatever he could do in the temple to make it more challenging for you… keep this one thing in mind, though…. When you fight the real me, it won't be so easy! What a worthless creation that ghost was! I will banish it to the gap between dimensions!!"

"L-Lord… Ga-Ganon-d-dorf….. Noooooooo!!" the Phantom moaned as the vortex absorbed it completely

"That's so sad…" Navi said sympathetically, "… Even though it was our enemy, I just help feeling sorry for it…"

"I know, Navi…" Link said as he held her in his hands, "I know…" He widened his eyes as Saria's body let out a soft green glow and hovered into the air, she opened her eyes and a smile formed on her lips. 

"Thank you..." she said, "Because of you, I could awaken as a Sage... I am Saria. The Sage of the Forest Temple..."

"Saria… but I thought that Maiku killed you!"

"He thought that killing me would send my soul to the Chamber of Sages… but do not think too harshly on him. He is just lost in emotion and darkness. I always believed that you would come. Because I know you..."

"Saria… is there anything I can…"

"No… You don't have to explain it to me... Because it is destiny that you and I can't live in the same world."

"But there are still some things I must ask you."

"Shhhh…" She put her small hand on his face, "I will stay here as the Forest Sage and help you... Now, please take this Medallion..." She put one hand behind her back then returned it to his view to reveal a green disc with a design on it. "I will always be… Your friend, Link… Goodbye… And please try to understand Maiku's actions, try to help him somehow." She seemed to become engulfed in a green light and vanished.

"Damn you, Maiku…" he mumbled under his breath, "Damn you…"


	33. Chapter 32: Maiku

**Legend of Zelda: Mask of Shadow**

**-Part Two-**

Author's Note: Hey there, my loyal readers (the very small group of Zelda fans who actually want to read my material) I have decided that this story would be more suitable in the two-part-setup. What I mean by this is that I am sorry to say that this part is the final chapters to **Legend of Zelda: Mask of Shadow. The reason why I made this decision is that I didn't want to put the character Maiku into every Temple around Hyrule's landscape; but he will still go into some certain Temples, though… just depends on which ones I want to have in this concluding part to the slight changing of the original and well done story of Ocarina of Time. Well, I think that I've talked for way too long so without any further interruption… ****Chapter 32: Maiku …**

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**Chapter 32: Maiku**

It had been two weeks since Link's awakening in the Temple of Time and his breaking of the evil force that resided in the Lost Woods and Maiku hadn't been able to delay Link. No matter how many times he attempted to delay Link, the Hero of Time always found some way to escape and now he was becoming dangerously close to awakening the last two Sages; on top of that, the count of Ganondorf's minions started to diminish even more by each passing day. 

He stood in his chamber in Ganondorf's castle. The chamber itself was rather dull compared to Ganondorf's chamber with the small organ across from the door and the stained glass windows, but he was comfortable. His chamber had dull dark grey stone walls with finely carved etchings of the Triforce in the walls in some places, his bed had Hyrule's best constructed mattress and had magnificently carved head and foot boards with images of hellish creatures and images of the slaughter of Hylians and other people from the neighboring countries. "Damn it…" he growled to himself under his breath, "Link is, by far, even more clever than I expected! He and Zelda have already freed Saria, Darunia, the Water Temple maiden, and I know that he has Rauru's medallion…. Now all who's left are… Impa and Nabooru…" He clenched a gloved hand angrily, "Why do I rely on Link so much…? He can do everything right even though I've tried to delay him…." He closed his eyes and heard the doors to his chamber open and slam shut, followed by the sound of heavy footfalls on the black marble tile. "What do you want Ganondorf?" he said with annoyance in his voice.

"You lied to me about your capabilities to delay Link, Maiku!!!" he yelled angrily at Maiku, "You said that you would successfully delay him longer than he needs to awaken the Sages than he normally would!"

He turned towards Ganondorf to face him, "I never promised anything, Ganondorf… I simply said that I would help. Even as I speak, he is heading towards Kakariko Village to find it burning…. Also to see the Sheikah, Sheik in the village…"

"Damn it, Maiku!!!" the evil king yelled at him, reared back his arm, and landed a devastating punch onto the side of Maiku's head, launching the Mask of Shadow from off of his face, "You've got to stop talking like that!!!!"

He landed on his stomach, face down on the marble tile. "My mask…" he said painfully, "… You are going to… anger… the mask… for harming its wearer…." He pushed himself and stared straight at Ganondorf, finding the evil king with an expression of amazement and satisfaction.

"So that's how you look like now, huh?" he laughed heavily and coldly, "Your face isn't even normal anymore…"

He felt as though his face was burning yet chillingly cold at the same time, "What are you… talking about…?" he touched his face with his fingers and found that his skin had become sleek. "My skin is… different somehow…" He glanced down onto the tile and noticed that he had a faint reflection in it. His face had changed drastically, his mouth had been reduced to a faintly visible line and his nose had completely vanished, his skin was as black as death's cloak, and his eyes were still fully red, but were the only light color on his face. "I am changing by every passing day, becoming less human than anything… and more than that… I am welcoming the change…."

"And why do you say that?"

"All my life… I have been looked down upon, judged by the way I looked; no one ever gave me a second's thought… sure, I only had a few people to accompany me but it just wasn't the same…" He grasped the mask and placed it back onto his face, "And now… I have the power to destroy anybody who stands in my way!!" he said with a growl in the back of his throat, "Nothing will stop me from my intentions… not even…" his voice started to make itself sound as though it were doubled, "… You, Zelda, or even Link…" he focused his gaze to the large window overlooking the ruins of Hyrule Town, "In a few more weeks, Link will be here to cut you and your reign over Hyrule out of existence… If you treasure your existence so badly that you can't afford to damage it then why don't you start to handle everything that he must overcome?"

"So what are you going to do?"

"Delay the son of a bitch from reaching the main Temple enemies…"

"Bongo-Bongo and my mothers Koume and Kotake?"

He simply nodded, "Yes… and the Shadow and Spirit Temples would be the best playgrounds for me to fight in… however, as I said before, I do not intend to kill him; just slow down and weaken him… you try and give those damn monsters a pep talk…"

He started to walk towards his chamber door but Ganondorf grabbed his arm, "I advise you to get your hand off me…" 

"Why are you trying to lay the duty of the Temples on me?" Ganondorf growled

"Don't give me that tone, Gerudo… I do more work than you do!! I go everywhere in honor of your name and you do nothing except give out more orders… If you excuse me, I shall be on my way to Kakariko Village…" he jerked his arm out of Ganondorf's grasp and walked out of his chamber.


	34. Chapter 33: Renewed Alliance

**Chapter 33: Renewed ****Alliance******

He stood in the center of the ruins of Hyrule Town; glancing at the cursed and resurrected people which were now re-deads… he realized that he was the main problem of Hyrule and that Ganondorf was just a small problem compared to his importance as the common enemy of the people. If he had let everything run its course and decided not to join Ganondorf, then maybe… just maybe he would've been different than he would be now. The only inhabited places in Hyrule were now Kakariko Village, Goron City, Lon-Lon Ranch, Lake Hylia, the underwater caverns, and the Gerudo Fortress; he needed somewhere to stay away from the further corruption of Ganondorf. 

He was currently in the right mind process at the time, meaning that he was thinking exactly the same way as he had when he was still at home and also the time he spent as a Zora; at the same time he had little or no memory of where he was before the start of his journey seven years ago, sometimes a vision flashed into his mind of living in a technologically advanced civilization and wishing to be brought into Hyrule. He shook those thoughts out of his mind and sighed, he thought that he used to be the kind of person that was always quiet and rather aloof from crowds and the idea of fighting…. but he guessed that everything about him had changed in the past. 

He started to walk out of the town square when he heard a small agonized moan behind him, as if someone's soul had been destroyed and the body was cursed to walk until they had wasted away. Re-dead… he thought to himself, _…It must have somehow recognized me as being the source of its eternal woe. He turned around and saw a small re-dead slowly approaching him. He widened his eyes when he realized that this re-dead was the girl he had killed seven years ago, the puncture wounds from his tentacles were still present on her body._

He started to back away but felt five pairs of arms grab him from behind, he glanced behind himself and saw five re-deads grabbing him from all sides, "Damn," he growled, "I can't be killed by these mindless creatures! I refuse to be killed now!!! Not like this!!" 

He heard the light feminine laugh of Zelda behind him across the hole, causing him to jerk his head to face her. "This is such an ironic scene, Maiku." She folded her arms across her chest, "Imagine… the killer of the people to be killed by the soulless bodies of the very people he killed!!!"

"You find humor in this?!!"

"Of course."

"Please, Zelda… help me!!! I don't know how long I'll be normal, but just please… help me."

"How can I trust you?"

"I was wrong about choosing the darkness, I admit that! Just please… help me…!"

"….." 

"Don't think about it!!! I can help you take Ganondorf out of the picture!!!"

"What; so you can just back backstab us when our guard is down?"

"Please… believe me, princess Zelda. You believed in me to save Hyrule seven years ago, let me redeem myself to you and Link by helping the cause of restoring Hyrule's former prosperity by destroying the Evil King and by sealing him away in the Sacred Realm!!!" 

"Okay, I believe you, Maiku."

"Okay, just wait there, Zelda." He gripped the hilt of his sword and withdrew the blade from its scabbard and turned his attention to the re-deads, "Would you… get the fuck… off of me!!!!" In one quick motion he slashed in a full 360 degree angle and chopped each re-dead in half. He turned around to face Zelda and leapt over the chasm separating the Market square and the gate leading to the fields. "I thank you for believing me, Zelda. We have to go to Kakariko Village right now."

"Why?"

"Some terrible is about to awaken from beneath the well."

"You can't mean…!!"

He nodded, "Yes, the evil spirit that your attendant Impa sealed beneath the well."

"We've got to hurry!!!" 

He removed his shoulder armor and cape; keeping his scabbard on his back, "Yes, let's go." 


	35. Chapter 34: Kakariko Village

**Chapter 34: Kakariko Village**

Maiku and Zelda ran side by side across Hyrule Field towards the village of Kakariko. Maiku's eyes caught sight of a faint disturbance in the sky above the village. "Zelda, look!" he yelled out, motioning his head towards the entrance.

"What?!" said Zelda as she looked in his direction and saw the glowing smoke of uncontrollable fires n the horizon, "No!!" Her speed increased and her heartbeat began to race even faster than it had when he told her he would be on her side now. She couldn't believe his words when he uttered them and even now they still echoed in her mind, "Please… believe me, princess Zelda. You believed in me to save Hyrule seven years ago, let me redeem myself to you and Link by helping the cause of restoring Hyrule's former prosperity by destroying the Evil King and by sealing him away in the Sacred Realm!!!" She closed her eyes, He couldn't have been lying, she thought to herself, His life was at stake, why would he lie with such high stakes against himself? 

"Zelda?" his voice cut through her thoughts, "Hey, snap out of it!!"

"Huh?" she felt him tug her arm towards him, "What are you doing?" She stopped running, as did he, "Why did you grab my arm like that?"

"You were about to fall into Zora's River now a rushing rapid that, if you are not careful, could lead you to your destruction. It was formed by me five years ago… rather, two years after my beloved Ruto's death."

"What? Ruto…? Princess Ruto?"

He nodded, "Yes." His eyes showed a deep sadness through the eye holes of his mask, "I was married to her… temporarily…" He went down onto his knees, "I… knew love before I became what I am now and am becoming."

Her eyes widened, and her mouth was open behind the cloth of her hooded mask of the identity known as Sheik, "Married?" 

"Yes, I was married to her after I received the Spiritual Stone of Water those seven years ago. But she was killed after the ceremony by Ganondorf, and I was nearly killed… which I actually wanted to happen. But Link saved me and said I was the only survivor in Zora's Domain… I was not really grateful for his help; I had already suffered too much back then."

"Maiku…. You poor, lost, and confused thing…" she kneeled beside him and put her hand on his shoulder sympathetically, "I truly feel sorry for you, but… what happened in the past cannot lead up to the events unfolding now."

"Zelda, I never knew that any of the things that I did would come to pass… nor did I know that I was going to…"

"What? What were you going to do?"

"N-nothing… forget about it, okay?"

"I'll try to forget it…. But it would be close to impossible, knowing of what you are…"

"Zelda… thank you…." He slowly stood back up and ran to the gate, "C'mon, let's see what's happening!!!"

Zelda followed him into town, slightly know what to expect. Most likely the townspeople thinking Maiku's still the enemy…she thought to herself, …if any are still around, that is…

"Zelda? Are you still thinking about my sudden change of heart?"

"No..." she lied and ran past him.

True blond, He thought to himself and continued to run, how and why was **she endowed with the Triforce? Oh well, whatever…**

The sounds of the towns people screaming from the destruction of Kakariko Village filled his ears, along with the sounds of darkness that his ears had become accustomed to over the years; it sounded like echoes of the dead all talking at once mixed in with their agonized moans and groans of their painful afterlife of being a part of an evil being. He knew he didn't have any of the souls of the dead on him, he made sure of that years ago, but for the first year or so of being allied with Ganondorf he was actually afraid of the darkness that embraced him closely; but over the years he had become accustomed to it and actually welcomed it with open arms.

His heart skipped a beat when he ran into the town and found that it was a scene of absolute destruction on a much grander scale than he had ever performed in his years of being in service to Ganondorf. Kakariko Village was almost a complete loss; the building were on fire and some were already burned down to the ground while some where in the process of doing so. He scanned the area for any signs of life but it was no use, the only people in his sights were either dead or dying. 

Further behind himself, he heard the soft bell-like voice of Navi which meant that Link was not too far away, Damn! He thought to himself, If Link and Navi see me, they'll get the wrong idea and think that I was responsible. They were getting closer by each passing moment and the only thing that was going through his mind was to stand beside Zelda and try to face whatever the well had sealed in its depths. He ran towards the disguised princess of Hyrule and glanced down into the well, "Zelda…" he whispered.

"What?" she whispered back

"Link and Navi are here…"

"Just stay calm and try to help me if the Shadow Spirit attacks, got it?"

He nodded slightly, "Yes…" 

"Maiku, you seem… nervous about Link's presense…"

"….."

"Lighten up…"

"…. He won't understand…." He glanced behind his back saw that Link was already helping out with lining the bodies in a non-flammable area but widened his eyes as he noticed Link pointing his head in his direction, "Fuck…!"

"Excuse me?"

"He saw me…"

"So?"

"So…"

*                                  *                                  *

"Maiku!!!!!" Link yelled out as he drew the Master Sword from it scabbard.

"Get back, Link!!" Sheik yelled.

"Sheik?" he said, "I didn't notice that you were…"

"Hey!!!" Navi screamed, "What are you doing here, Maiku?!"

"You caused this," Link accused him, "didn't you?! When will your thirsts for death and destruction cease?!"

"Damn it, Link!!!" Maiku said as he turned to face him, "I didn't do this, you idiot!!!"

"That's enough, you two!!!" Sheik yelled at them, "This is no time for your ridiculous differences right now; we've got bigger troubles right now!!!!" 

The ground rumbled beneath their feet, "Earthquake?" said Link.

"No…!" said Maiku, "It's something bigger!!!" The well exploded into thousands of pieces and the wooden bucket rack blew out of the ground like it was a top on a bottle of champagne blown off from an enormous amount of pressure from the bottle. "Damn!"

"Maiku, Link!!! Help!" Sheik said as she was grasped by something invisible and big

"Sheikah!!!" Maiku called out, "Sheik!!" Link yelled

Maiku grabbed onto the invisible thing but was bucked off as Sheik was tossed away; their screams filled the night sky. Sheik landed on her back and Maiku landed on his stomach. Link watched as the Shadow Spirit materialized and headed towards him, only to wish that he didn't die as he waited for the hit.


	36. Chapter 35: Waking Up

**Chapter 35: Waking Up**

Maiku regained consciousness and found that he was laying in a building, most likely, in Kakariko Village or what's left of it, he sat up and glanced around to see photographs of a slightly familiar woman with cut back silver hair and crimson eyes like his but with one exception; her eyes had a feel of warmth while his had coldness, hers had beauty while his were ill-natured, and hers had nobility while his had dishonesty. He recognized her face after several minutes of staring at the picture; she was Impa, the true survivor of the Sheikahs and Princess Zelda's attendant or rather nanny. 

"Maiku?" he heard Zelda's voice behind him, "Are you feeling okay now?"

He turned around to face her, saw that she was disguised as a Sheikah, and nodded, "Yes. Thanks you for your concern." He glanced down to the floor, not wanting to have any eye contact with her for some reason. 

"What's the matter? Is something on your mind?"

"I'm just…. Never mind… Don't worry about me…."

From another bed came the sound of Link's groan of pain, "Looks like we'd better see if he's okay." Zelda said as she started to walk in Link's direction.

"Yeah… I guess so…" he followed her to Link's bedside. He looked down to him, "Looks like your coming around…"

"Link…" Zelda said as she helped him sit up, "A terrible thing has happened! The evil shadow spirit has been released!"

Maiku nodded slightly, "Impa, the leader of Kakariko Village, had sealed the evil shadow spirit in the bottom of the well...."

"Huh?" Link groaned, "What are you talking about? Where am I?" 

"You are in Impa's house; you were knocked out by the shadow spirit." She said, "But that's not what's important right now!! What's important is that the force of the evil spirit got so strong, the seal of the well broke, and it escaped into the world!!"

Well, that was different… Maiku thought to himself, "We believe Impa has gone to the Shadow Temple to seal it up again."

"But...she will be in danger without any help!" Link yelled and stood up, but fell back down from the throbbing pain in his legs.

"No shit, Link…." Maiku said with aggression and annoyance in his voice

"Shut up, bastard!!"

"Link!!!" Zelda said, probably shocked that Link said such a thing

"Listen to me, Link…" Maiku said as he folded his arms across his chest casually and narrowed his eyes, "Impa is one of the six Sages. We have to destroy the evil shadow spirit and save Impa!"

"You're really going to help us, Maiku?" Link said, starting to get the picture that Maiku is not on Ganondorf's side

"Yes…" he replied to his idiotic question, "There is an entrance to the Shadow Temple beneath the graveyard behind this village. One of the only things I can do for you is teach you the melody that will lead you to the Shadow Temple..."

"You're not going in with me?"

"I'll meet you somewhere in there…" he took out his black ocarina from a pouch he had equipped to his belt, "This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time... Listen to this, the Nocturne of Shadow…." He formed a temporary mouth hole, put the mouthpiece of the ocarina to his mouth and played the Nocturne of Shadow for Link, "Now you try…"

"It sounds pretty difficult…" 

"C'mon Link!!!!" Navi yelled at him, "You can play it!"

"Okay…" he put the mouthpiece of the Ocarina of Time to his mouth and mirrored the song.

"Well done…"

"Let me take care of the village! I'm counting on you two!!! Good luck!" said Zelda as they walked out of the house, "Maiku… please don't kill him…"


	37. Chapter 36: Temple of Shadows

**Chapter 36: ****Temple**** of ****Shadows******

Maiku dashed off ahead of Link to the Kakariko Village graveyard, trusting in his decision that the Hero of Time would figure out that he would have to play the Nocturne of Shadow if he was even hoping to reach the entrance to the Shadow Temple. I just hope Link can fend for himself… he thought to himself; …he should, but I can't take any risks. I must not rely on his piece of the Triforce and his odd knack to have himself pull through that all heroes seem to possess too much. He needs to do almost anything by himself with little or no help from me; I'll only aid him when times become severely bad for him… 

He stopped and noticed that he was in front of a small cliff blocked off at the top by a wood fence.

The entrance to the Shadow Temple is beyond that fence… I really don't want to use a portion of myself that is forming every hour by this cursed mask, but I don't want to waste my time and energy by leaping from the gravestone… so I guess I must.

He held out his arms in front of him, pointing them toward the fence on top of the cliff. He focused and two black & red tentacles emerged from the palms his hands; they wrapped themselves around the post and retracted back into his hands, pulling him up. He hopped over the rest of the fence that he wasn't pulled over and landed on a large stone slab. 

He knelt to examine it and discovered that it was the symbol that was inscribed on the Shadow Medallion that Impa held. "…. The stone is warm…" he said to himself, "Power has already passed through and onto the slab… Link is already inside the Temple…" He ran towards the temple entrance.

*                                  *                                  *

"It sure is creepy in here…." Navi said with a shaky voice, "…. Why did the Sage have to be in such a spooky place, Link?"

"Beats me, Navi…" Link replied simply with a low voice, unsure if the walls of the hallway they were in were solid or if they were just an illusion to deceive and confuse him. "This hallway just doesn't seem to end!"

"You mean we're gonna… die?"

"I'm not saying that, I just saying…"

"The Shadow will yield only to one with the eye of truth, handed down in Kakariko Village…." A voice of a young man said.

"Hello?" Navi said as she flew ahead.

"Is anybody there?" Link asked as he started to walk forward cautiously, but stopped as a familiar looking figure stepped out in front of him. The figure was a young man about the age of seventeen with crimson eyes whom was wearing a black tunic with grey pants and had long shoulder length black hair parted in the middle, "What!?"

"That looks like Maiku without his mask!" Navi said

"Maiku looked like that?"

"Yes, remember?" 

"Do not speak, Link." The figure of Maiku said, "I appear because I want you to help me."

"Eh…. Sure thing, I guess."

"Do not be indecisive, Link."

"What do want us to do?" Navi asked

"I want you two to help cleanse my body's soul, cleansing it of the evil of the Mask of Shadow."

"I don't believe you."

Maiku put his hands behind his back and closed his eyes, "I understand that I have done a lot of things to hurt you, and I am truly sorry for everything I've done in the past. But you've gotta help me purify my soul!"

"How do we do that?" asked Link, "Is there any non fatal way to do that?"

He shook his head slowly, "No, I am sorry, Link… you must destroy my body before the transformation is complete! You Link, The Hero of Time, is the only person to help me! Just wait for the time; if you destroy my body at a time of non-aggression… my soul will be forever doomed to walk the land."

Link nodded, "Okay, I'll do it."

He smiled faintly, "Thank you. Now, to go deeper into the Shadow Temple, you must first open that gate in the first room, and then you must cross the bottomless pit. Only one who has sacred feet can cross the valley of the dead."

"Sacred Feet?"

"The Hover Boots… a treasure of this Temple that will enable you to literally walk on air temporarily."

"Wow."

"C'mon, follow me. I'll lead you to it." He quickly ran off in the opposite direction and out of Link's sight

"Hey! Come back!" Link took chase on the image of Maiku 

"You have to be faster than that if you wish beat me in the future…" he remarked, "C'mon, Hero… quicken your pace!" 

He dashed with all his leg power and finally caught up to him, "Slow… down…." He gasped.

"…. Through this door you will find the Dead Hand. Kill it, and you will obtain the Hover Boots." He turned away, "I wish you luck…" he said and vanished.

*                                  *                                  *

"So this is the inside of the Temple?" Maiku said as he stood in the first chamber of the temple, his eyes showed signs of disgust, "It's absolutely intolerable that the Shadow gets such an unspectacular chamber for its Temple…" He walked forward, studying the architecture, "Still…" he stopped at the center piece, a statue representing a bird of some sorts, "…It looks pretty good…" 

He walked towards a cliff with a seemingly endless pit as its drop and stared straight down, "I wonder how many people died trying to cross this pit….?" He squinted into the darkness, noticing a doorway at the bottom, "What's down there, I wonder…?" He placed his right foot on the edge and leapt off, plunging into darkness. 

He landed perfectly on his feet a few minutes later and found himself standing on thousands of skeletons of the people who had fallen in on accident. "Hmph… Unfortunate for them…" he said coldly, leapt off the pile of bones and landed in front of the door. He looked into the doorway and saw that beyond it was a hallway leading to the Temple's hidden chambers, with no other way to go in the pit he stepped into the doorway; turning around when thick metal bars dropped from the top of the doorway as soon as he stepped in. "… Typical…" 

He looked ahead again and started to walk ahead, his eyes saw through the darkness as though it were day and so he didn't need to light a torch or anything. The chambers were in ruins but were still explorable anyway; he found that most of the chambers were empty but he came across one single chamber that was not empty. He stepped into a place that looked like an underground Cathedral, instead of stained glass windows there were carvings of figures that looked like the Six Sages and with a Seven Sage illustrated as being bigger than each Sage. Over the Seven Sages was a carving of the Triforce and three figures. One figure was of a young man wielding a shining sword; another was of a strongly built man; and the third was of a young woman in a crystal. 

He took his eyes off of the carvings and onto a podium with what seemed to be a magnifying glass with a purple lens. There was an inscription on the podium, "The Eye of Truth" he read out loud, "This might come in handy for Link…" he opened the pack at his side and placed the Lens of Truth into it. "Now… to get out of here…. Oh yeah, I know." He ran out of the room, through the hallway, and into the pit. He leapt onto the wall, pushed away, and leapt from one wall to the other until he reached the top. He found that the gate was opened meaning, of course, that Link had already entered before him. 

He leapt across the pit and ran down a ramp leading to a lower area; a Beamos was guarding a split road and spotted him. He drew his sword from its scabbard and lunged at it, driving the blade into it and slashing upwards, slicing it into two pieces. "Maiku?" he heard Link's voice say from his right side. He placed his sword back into the scabbard and turned to him. 

"Link…." He said, "From here on, the Temple gets even more difficult…" he opened the pack at his side and took out the Lens of Truth, "Here, take this."

"Eh, thanks…" Link replied, taking the Lens of Truth "But aren't you going to use it?"

"No, I am not bound only to land like you. I'll find a way to get by…." He shut his eyes, "Link, good luck…." He walked towards a solid wall and phased right through it. "You'll need it…" he said quietly, "I might as well help you, though…" he said without even think about it and vanished in a dark flame.

He reappeared in a large chamber and onto a large platform that looked like a large cover for a drum. "A drum?" he said, "What the hell is this?" 

"Who dares to enter my chamber?!" a raspy voice said from somewhere, "What the…? Is that… you…?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you the Shadow Demon that disappeared thousands of years ago?"

"Shadow Demon…? I don't know what you are talking about."

"Come on… stop acting like that, Shadow."

"I really don't follow you."

"You always were such a mischievous little devil… random killings for fun. Weren't those the days?"

"I am sorry, but I don't understand."

"I am Bongo Bongo!" 

"Bongo Bongo? Hm… doesn't ring a bell… but I do need your power…. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Anything for you, Shadow."

"Stop calling me that," he said, withdrawing a tentacle from his hand and piercing Bongo Bongo's skin, sapping his strength and weakening him, "…. I am Maiku." He sent the tentacle back to him and brought it back into his hand, "I thank you… rest in peace…" he turned away and vanished.


	38. Chapter 37: Temple of Spirit

**Chapter 37: ****Temple**** of ****Spirit******

"Zelda," Maiku said as he stood alongside her looking out to the Haunted Wasteland.

"What is it?" she replied and turned to him, "Is anything wrong?"

"No…" he turned his head away, closing his eyes, "… It's just that… I want you to leave the melody teaching to me."

"What do you mean?" she put her hand on his shoulder, "Do you not trust me?"

"It's not that…" he turned his head back to her, "…. I think Link will be in serious trouble around the Gerudo Valley. I recall that I was teaching the Gerudos how to fight without mercy while I was at the Fortress last. They were also boosting their security around the Valley; therefore, those women will surely kill him the first chance they get." 

"I see your point, Maiku."

"So can you teach me the Requiem of Spirit?" he asked, taking out his Ocarina

  
"Sure." She took her golden harp from out of her satchel and played the first notes of the Requiem of Spirit, "Can you play that?"

"Sure…" he made a mouth hole appear in the mask as he did before and placed the mouthpiece to his lips, copying the notes and playing the rest of the song in the mournful tone of the Ocarina.

"That Ocarina… What is it called?" she asked as she placed the harp back into its satchel, "I have never heard such a sad sound."

"It is called the Ankoku Ocarina." He replied calmly, "It can sound beautiful at times… it just depends how much heart I put into it." He gently placed the Ocarina into a side pack, "Hey… have you been to Zora's Domain before?"

"No." she hung her head down, "No… that's not true. I went one time, that was eight years ago." 

"You want to pay your condolences to the souls of the dead Zoras?" he asked seriously, "It's about time I visit that place again anyway."

She stared straight into his eyes, "You… visit the ruins of Zora's Domain?"

"Yeah, I thought I told you that I was married to Ruto."

  
"Yes, you told me that."

"Well… I was once a Zora after you sent me on that quest to receive the Spiritual Stones."

"How?"

"I don't know exactly, and I also feel as though I'm not really supposed to be in Hyrule… or anywhere else for that matter. Never mind…. Forget about it."

"Stop trying to pull away to tell me about your past. I'm interested to hear it."

"I'll tell you when all this is over, I promise."

"Truly?"

"Yes." He looked toward the graveyard and saw a pillar of light, "Well, see you." He dashed off towards the graveyard, leaving Zelda alone until another time.

*                                  *                                  *

Link landed on the stone slab outside of the Shadow Temple, "That Shadow Beast seemed to be too easy." Navi remarked, "And that thing got to you in the town? Are you weak or something?"

"Navi…." Link started but was interrupted by the sound of Maiku's voice

"Well done Link…" he said, "…. But you still have room for improvement… next time I will not weaken the enemy before you come in, I only needed Bongo Bongo's power so I absorbed it."

"So then what are you doing here?"

"I came here to teach you the song that will lead you the Spirit Temple... The Requiem of Spirit." 

"Hey wait, Maiku. Why isn't Sheik teaching me the song like he has been doing since the beginning?"

"Sheik let me."

"Why would he let you?" 

"You'd better watch it, Link…" he narrowed his eyes and turned away, "You are lucky I decided to help you by giving you the Lens of Truth back there, plus I weakened Bongo Bongo for you. Or would you rather me go on Ganondorf's side again?" 

"N-no…" he replied, "I was just curious of why Sheik would let you teach me the song."

"Better have…" he said under his breath and brought out his Ankoku Ocarina, "Now pay attention." He turned towards Link and once again formed a mouth hole in the mask and placed the mouth piece to his lips, playing the Requiem of Spirit. 

Link followed the notes and played it himself.

"Well done." He turned away from Link, "See you at the Desert Colossus beyond the Haunted Wasteland. That song I taught you will teleport you into the desert…" He leapt over the fence and ran out the graveyard, pressed his back against the outer wall, and closed his eyes. A sleek and smooth tentacle snaked itself out of his hand and started to wrap itself around his arm. He opened his eyes, "What? A tentacle that I didn't even send out?" He stared hard at it, noticing that is was moving around on its own accord, "Is my body becoming more in tune to the mask now? It's reacting to something, but what?" He forced his body to retract the tentacle and succeeded, "What is happening to me? My body is changing at a faster rate than before, but why?" I'd better get into the Spirit Temple before Link does… he thought to himself; …His ability to travel through Time will prove as a detriment to me and Ganondorf… I must get those Gauntlets that are on the Sand Goddess's right hand. He walked forward and vanished. 

*                                  *                                  *

He reappeared in front of the Spirit Temple, finding it in the same condition that it had been when he first stepped into it seven years ago. He withdrew a tentacle from his hand and sent it flying towards the Sand Goddess's right hand, it attached and he retracted it, sending himself flying onto the stone carved "hand". He found an obvious enough treasure chest on his left side and opened it, finding the Silver Gauntlets. He glanced down to the temple entrance and noticed a patch of green and white entering, "When he finds out that both entrances are blocked, he'll definitely come out…"

Sure enough Link did emerge from the temple, Maiku smiled under the mask and leapt down, startling him when he landed. "Maiku!" Link yelled out, almost drawing the Master Sword from its scabbard, "You were already here?"

"Yes, I was here." He took out the Silver Gauntlets, "Here, these will help you enter the temple."

"What about you?" he asked, taking the Gauntlets, "What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about me, Hero of Time; I'm sure we'll meet again."

"So you're leaving Hyrule or what?"

Maiku shook his head and walked into the temple, "No, I'll be around the temple, I'm sure I'll see you somewhere..."

"Yeah, see you." 

*                                              *                                              *

After an hour of exploring the temple, finding the mirror shield and plunging head long into battle with Ganondorf's surrogate mother Twinrova, Link withdrew his sword from the old witches' body, watching as she bled to death. He stopped when Maiku's voice filled his ears, "You have done well, Hero of Time." 

Link turned around to see Maiku standing in the center of the platform, "Maiku, what are doing here?" 

"What am I doing here? I am here to claim your piece of the Triforce."

"My what?"

"Don't act so stupid with me, Link. You have a Triforce in your hand, give it to me."

"I'm serious! I don't know what you are talking about!"

"Very well then… If you will not give it to me willingly, then I guess I have no choice but to use force to get it." He drew his sword, "C'mon!" 

"Maiku, think about what you are saying!" he equipped his shield and defended himself from Maiku's strike, "Don't do this! You've lost yourself to the darkness seven years ago but I thought you had changed. But now I know it was only a plan of deception…. But please, I don't want to fight you!"

"Don't act like such a weakling, Hylian. Fight me, damn you!" Maiku stopped but still had his sword at the ready

"I don't understand you, Maiku. You urge on violence and hatred, I know you really can't be evil and filled with hatred. In your heart I know that you know of a thing called love. You held back seven years ago from killing me, I believe you can do it again. Think of your love for Ruto and fight the darkness within you!"

"SHUT UP!!!!" he yelled, his voice more of a roar than anything else, "You don't know anything about me or any of the times I have faced!!! You were in suspended animation for those long seven years, filled with false memories of a long and happy childhood with your Kokiri friends, including Saria." He narrowed his eyes, "Yes, you had a peaceful slumber for seven years while I faced carnage, death, misery, enmity, betrayal and even more hardships than you ever will!!! You will never know loss of love or humanity… you only lost your mother, I lost everything that it means to be human. The form you see before you is only a chrysalis to something less human than I." He pointed his sword at Link, barely thrusting it into his throat, "I'd kill you at this moment but I actually prefer an actual sword fight rather than killing on the spot. So c'mon, fight!" 

"I guess…. I have no choice." He drew the Master Sword from its scabbard, "Fine. I will fight you, Maiku. I must help you realize what it means to die."

"You think this is a game? Fine then, I will add my own rules to this duel." He put one hand to his forehead and his body began to glow in a blood red aura; the platform suddenly began to glow red and then became engulfed in a blinding red light. Red fire energy surrounded the platform and towered twenty feet into the air. 

"What did you do?" Link said, uncovering his eyes

"I modified the ceremonial platform to be used as a fighting arena; the energy surrounding us has the potential to kill who ever touches it."

Navi flew out of Link's hood cap, "Link, watch out! I have no idea what Maiku's weaknesses are, if I can get close enough I will scan him for weaknesses."

"Right!" Link replied and dashed at Maiku. Just as he was about to slash, Maiku grasped his shield and tossed him aside like a rag doll. He rolled on the ground and nearly into the energy, stopping at the ledge. He pushed himself up after he let out a sharp grunt; when he was back up, he ran at him again, keeping his blade at the ready and slashed. 

Maiku's sword made contact with his. The Master Sword started to spark under the pressure of the more superior Demon Edge of Maiku, and then Link felt himself being kicked on the stomach by a hard spiked boot and toppled backwards. He caught himself before he hit the ground again. 

"You are destined to save Hyrule when even you can't save yourself?" Maiku remarked, slashing Link's chest with a series of six quick swipes causing his to scream out in agony, "Yes, scream, Link. Feel the pain of battle! It will all be over soon…." He raised the sword high above his head and began to thrust down. Before it pierced Link's chest, a chain wrapped itself around the blade and flung it away. 

"Not so fast Maiku!!" Sheik said as she withdrew the chain into her outfit, "You can't kill him, I won't let you!" 

Maiku glared at her angrily, "And just what are you going to do about it, Sheikah?" He turned his body completely towards her, "You will die first!" 

Three needles emerged from her outfit pocket, "Use these of course." 

"With hair pins? C'mon, you gotta be original than that."

She closed her eyes, "These needles are tipped with a toxin that will cause gradual death depending on how many are used."

"You fool." Claws emerged from his fingertips, causing his black blood to drip onto the rock floor, "You can never understand my intentions. My intentions are deeper than Ganondorf's… much deeper." He felt a single needle prick his arm; he glanced down and laughed, "You honestly think that this will kill me?" He glanced down to Link and noticed he was gone; he glanced back over to Sheik and noticed that he was slumped under her arm. "Stop!!" 

She simply shook her head and threw down a Deku Nut for the traditional Sheikah disappearing act. 

"Damn it."

*                                  *                                  *

Link awoke in the Temple of Light with an orange medallion in his hands, "Link…." He heard Sheik say, "It looks like you'll be okay." 

He looked down and saw that he had a new tunic and chain mail on, "Sheik… did you…?" he started but couldn't seem to fit the rest of the words together.

"If you are wondering if I saved you, the answer is yes."

"Maiku has… become evil again."

"Link…" she said as she kneeled beside him, "…. Maiku was always evil. Not once when he was in the Shadow Temple, was he actually willing to join you."

"Where is he now?"

"Who knows? He is probably on his way back to Ganon's Tower right now. The important thing is that you are alive."

"Sheik…"

"You have overcome many hardships and awakened six Sages. And now you have a final challenge, a showdown with Ganondorf, the King of Evil.... and Maiku, the demon of darkness. Before that... I have things I want to tell only to you. Please listen." 

"What is it?"

"Another unknown legend of the Triforce passed down by the shadow folk, the Sheikahs....

If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that

reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it. If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise. The Triforce...the sacred triangle... it is a balance that weighs the three forces of Power, Wisdom and Courage. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce...the part representing the force that one most believes in. If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands." 

"So that means… what now?"

"Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true. The Triforce separated into three parts. Only the Triforce of Power remained in Ganondorf's hand. The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a mighty, evil

king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied. To gain complete mastery of the world, Ganondorf started looking for those

chosen by destiny to hold the two other Triforce parts. The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is..."

"Let me guess… Me?"

"Yes you, Link!"

"And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom... is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all..." She held up her hand and the crest of the Triforce of Courage appeared on the back of her hand, a blinding golden light emerged from her hand, when the light faded Zelda was standing before him in a full on gown made of the finest slik, "It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me. But I appeared that Maiku knew of my disguise. Anyway, on that day, seven years ago, Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle. I saw you as I was escaping from the castle with my attendant, Impa. I thought I should entrust the Ocarina to you... I thought that would be our best chance... As long as you had the Ocarina in your possession, I thought Ganondorf could never enter the Sacred Realm, but... something I could never expect happened... After you opened the door of time, the Master Sword sealed you away in the Sacred Realm... Your spirit remained in the Sacred Realm...and then the Triforce fell into Ganondorf's hands. He went on to invade the Sacred Realm... Ganondorf had become the Evil King, and the Sacred Realm became a world of evil. All of this is an unfortunate coincidence."

"But why did disguise yourself as a Sheikah?"

"I passed myself off as a Sheikah and hoped that you would return. I waited for seven years... And...now you are back. The dark age ruled by Ganondorf the Evil King and Maiku will end! The six Sages will open the sealed door and lure Ganondorf   and Maiku back into the Sacred Realm. I will then seal the door to the Sacred Realm from this world. Thus, Ganondorf the Evil King and Maiku will vanish from Hyrule. Link... In order to do this, I need your courage again. Please protect me while I do my part."

"All right, I will."

"Here is a weapon that can penetrate the Evil King's defenses... The power given to the chosen ones... The sacred Arrow of Light!!!" she took out a yellow jewel from her dress and gave it to him, "This jewel will bestow the power of Light onto your arrows. I trust you will use them when the time comes." 

Link turned his attention to his side pack as he placed the precious jewel into it, but darted his head towards Zelda as she screamed out his name.

"Link!!! Help me!!" she screamed out as she felt a dagger's blade touch her smooth neck, she glanced back, "You!! Maiku! Let me go!!" 

"Never, princess…" she grasped her arm tightly; his claws dug into her flesh, causing it to draw blood, "Link. Come to Ganondorf's Tower if you want to put an end to all of this. We'll be waiting for you." His body let out a blinding light as they both vanished, Zelda's screams echoed through the air. 

"Damn." Link said as he unshielded his eyes.


	39. Chapter 38: Ganondorf's Castle

**Chapter 38: Ganondorf's Castle**

"Maiku!" Zelda screamed out as Maiku began to tie the young woman's hands together as they stood on a piece of the outer gate to what used to be Hyrule Castle that lay outside of the dark castle of Ganondorf, "Please don't do this!" 

"Relax…" he replied rather harshly, "I'm not going to kill you…. Well, not this moment." He concentrated on the bindings, "Your role in this is to lure Link here. I don't care if he kills Ganondorf here… he is useless anyway." 

"Useless…?"

"Look at that, I've said too much already…" he tied the bindings harder, almost bruising the dainty wrists of Zelda, "I don't care what happens to him because he ruined my life seven years ago. Link is the pawn to my revenge."

"A pawn?"

"… Stupid blond…." He mumbled under his breath, "Are going to keep questioning me?"

"If I don't get any answers I will."

"Reluctant." He grabbed her wrists, leapt off the wall, and landed on a small ledge that was in front of a large doorway. They walked inside of the dark castle and traveled through various rooms on the way up the tower. 

"Why are you doing this?"

"To prove that I am not as useless as many people think, I can do things just as well as they can. **Stupid, weak little Maiku! You're a useless son-of-a-bitch! Do this, and that! Your art skills suck! You'll never succeed!! But now those people shall see what I am capable of and they will cower in fear that I will kill them!"**

"But killing people because they looked down on you…"

"…. I don't know what I am becoming; I was never like this before. I really would've helped Link if I stayed human, if I wouldn't have put this mask on… I wouldn't have been on Ganondorf's side."

"Maiku…" she felt him let go of her wrist and saw him sit on a step, "…. I don't know what your intentions were when you put that mask on. But it seems that you recognize the error of your decisions." She sat next to him, "Can I just look at your face? Are you as handsome as you were seven years ago?"

He didn't reply and closed his eyes.

"Maiku, look at me."

"….."

"Please."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, "You are not the first woman to ask me to take off this mask. But I don't think it will be… a good thing to show you my face."

"Come on. You're just being shy."

He stood up and started to walk up the stairs, towards the creepy organ music that seemed to emerge from every stone that made up the walls.

"Maiku…"

He stopped and glanced back, "What do you want, Zelda?"

"I, um I really do want to see your face..."

"My face?  I don't want you to see my damn face.  Just come with me already."

"Maiku, what are you saying?"

He turned fully around; his eyes showed that he was clearly angered by her request "Look! I'm ugly!  I don't deserve to have anyone see me.  Between the seven long years of pure hell and the mask, I don't even look like something another person would want to be with or talk to, I look like a monster." She still was staring at him, "Well what are you looking at? Get the hell over to Ganondorf's Chamber and stop asking me questions already!  I'm no use to anyone."

"What are you saying?" she repeated in a concerned tone and stepped closer to him

"I know I'll be dead soon anyway.  Maybe today, maybe tomorrow.... It'll be easier if Link would just kill me now. But I guess the auction with Din, Farore, and Nayru as the sellers and Heaven & Hell as the bidders is going to make a nice profit off me, they want to keep me alive for a while longer.... I'll be worth more then."  

She started to approach him even more

He started to open a door in the wall seen only to him but he looked to his left, still seeing her "Are you still here?  I told you to go!  Are you deaf?!  Don't come back!" He put his head down and closed the door, staying on the landing, "Zelda....  Wait....  Please don't go.... Stay with me." She approached his cautiously and stood by his side, "Don't leave me alone.  I didn't mean what I said. Please Zelda.... Tell me I'll be okay. Tell me I'm not going to die. Help me... Please say that Link will destroy the Mask of Shadow before it fully takes over my body." 

"I don't know it I can, Maiku." She placed both hands where the sides of his face as if she was going to kiss him but she pulled away, "Just let me see your face." 

"I guess… just don't scream if it's too frightening."

"Okay, I promise."

"Good." He placed both hands to the side to the side of mask and removed it off of his face, Zelda gasped.

"You are becoming a walking Shadow …."

"Bongo Bongo said that I was a Shadow Demon and that he was friends with me." He placed the mask back on his face 

"Oh Maiku…" 

"Come on… let's continue." He grabbed her wrist once again and continued to walk up the stairs. After a while, they walked into the chamber. "Ganondorf, I have Zelda."

The organ music stopped suddenly, "It's about time…" Ganondorf replied, "You were supposed to get her as soon as possible and come back here."

"Yeah, that's what I did." He let go of Zelda's wrist, "I'm sorry if my method is not like yours." The door opened behind him and Link stepped into the room. Maiku noticed that the signs of the Triforce began to illuminate on Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf's hands. "The Triforce parts are resonating... They are combining into one again..." he mumbled to himself

"The two Triforce parts that I could not capture on that day seven years ago..." Ganondorf said with a growl, "I didn't expect they would be hidden within you two!" he laughed low and ominously, "And now, finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here!" he turned to face Link, "These toys are too much for you!" he rose his fist to display the Triforce of Power, "I command you to return them to me!" He let out an angry growl and waves of darkness emerged from his body, trying to absorb Link's Triforce of Courage. 

"Link!" Zelda screamed out as Maiku moved her out of the way

"No!" Maiku said only to her, "Don't throw your life away like this. He'll be okay."

"Link!" Navi screamed as she felt as though her body was being torn apart, "I can't help you! Because of the waves of darkness, I can't get close! I'm sorry, Link!"

"I… understand…. Navi…." Link replied as was panting for breath as the darkness was lifted off of him; he drew the Master Sword from its scabbard and ran at Ganondorf. He leapt up and thrust the blade into his skull, staining the blade with his blood. Ganondorf yelled out as the cold steel passed through his skull, his cries were silenced as he fell back, staining the hard stone crimson.

"Well…." Maiku replied, temporarily sane and shocked that Ganondorf was taken down so easily, "That was… quick. I always knew that Ganondorf was weak but damn…." The whole structure began to shake as if it were caught in the worst earthquake ever.

"Link, listen to me!" Zelda said, "This tower will collapse soon! With his last breath, Ganondorf is trying to crush us in the ruins of the tower! We need to hurry and escape! Please follow me!"

"He's still breathing after I skewered his head like that?" Link asked

"Guess so." Maiku said. He walked out, leaving Link and Zelda in the room.

"….Might as well take his advice. Huh?" he glanced to the ground and saw a dagger that Maiku probably dropped; he picked it up and ran out, followed by Zelda. After a while, he saw that Maiku was entering a room, he followed. Inside of the chamber, everything was burning. "Maiku?" he spotted him sitting on the bed, "Maiku!" 

Maiku turned his head to look at Link, looking like a defenseless young man, "Oh…. it's you…." He said, not seeming to care that the room is on fire, "Thank you for saving me seven years ago...  But I wish you hadn't.  Even Koume and Kotake said it...  I deserved what happened..."

"No Maiku, that's wrong!"

"No.  Don't pity me.  I'm not worth it...." he lowered his head, the tone of his voice suddenly changed from depressed to hope, "Or maybe you think you can save me?" Neither Link nor Zelda replied. "That's what I thought." He eyed the dagger he dropped in Ganondorf's chamber, "Link… Give me back that dagger."

He got up off the bed, walked to Link and reached his hand out towards him

"No... I, I won't."

"Saving it for yourself, Link?" He began to walk back to his bed,

"Me?  No...  I'd never kill myself...." he looked around, Maiku began to lie on the bed,

"Reconsider what you're about to do Maiku." 

"No, my further living would just continue my agony… I have started the agony ever since I first put the mask on. There's no hope for me now. Just go…"

"Are you sure that you really want it like this?"

"Positive."

"Alright." He began to walk out the room, "Well, see you later."

"Yeah… see you…"

Link and Zelda walked out of his room, "We must not dwell on this, Link." Zelda said, "He said it's what he wanted. He was suffering."

"I know that Zelda but…. I just don't want to face it." They ran out of the tower and escaped just as it collapsed.


	40. Chapter 39: Is this Fate?

**Chapter 39: ****Is this Fate?  
  
******

"Do you think…" started Zelda as she and Link stood on the edge of the floating island in the center of the huge crater of where Hyrule Castle used to be seven years ago, "…. That Maiku got out okay?"

Link shook his head slowly, "No." he replied, "I don't think so." 

"He's better off dead anyway!" Navi said, "He seemed like he wanted to die anyway."

"That's cold, Navi."

"I don't care. He was the enemy."

"Can't you see?" Zelda said, sympathetic for Maiku, "He really wasn't evil. He was just the vessel for the mask's will."

"What a load of…"

"Shut up Navi!" Link yelled, taking off his cap and swiping her into it, "You've become bitter over this whole ordeal. Can't you just have some remorse for Maiku?!"

"I understand that you want to think of Maiku as the enemy but he could've killed you both so many times. Can't you at least be thankful for that?" Zelda replied to Navi's comment, "He spared you both so that you can help him with his revenge on Ganondorf." 

"What?" 

"Well…" she was interrupted as an agonized cry filled her ears, Link heard it too. "What was that?"

"It came from the ruins of the tower."

"Do you think it could be…?"

"No…. he should be dead." He started to run towards the ruins, "But I'll check it out anyway." 

"Be careful."

"Yeah, stay here, though." He continued to run towards the ruins, approaching a pile of rubble in the center of the ruins. The sound of pain filled groaning came from out of the pile. "Maiku?" The sound of harsh but steady breathing emerged from the rubble, answering his call. "Maiku, are you alright? Do you need any help? Answer me." A hand emerged from the pile, then an arm, reaching for the sides of the rubble to unbury its owner; then another arm, grabbing Link's throat and pulling his face towards the rubble. He pulled away and jumped back, "Zelda!!! Get to somewhere safe now!!!" 

The pile of rubble exploded sending pieces of debris flying in different directions. "Hero…. Of Time….." he heard a familiar but now pained voice say through the dust, ".... Come…." The dust cleared, enabling him to see Maiku clearly. His tunic was ripped off, exposing his tightly muscled upper body. His skin was colored night black, but not the charred kind of black, and was bleeding a dark red with portions of black in it. His pants were ripped below the knees, showing the same pitch black skin underneath. It appeared that Maiku had become a walking shadow but still maintained a physical body. 

"Maiku, you're alright?"

"Yes…. But you will no longer be soon enough…." He tightened his left hand and gathered energy into it. The energy extended and became a five foot long blade colored black and red. "What's the matter? Afraid to face destiny…?"

"It's always fighting…. nothing else. Why can't you stop this, Maiku?"

"Maiku exists no longer, Hero of Time." 

"Then tell me, who are you?"

"I am the Shadow of Enmity, the incarnation of all negative power and emotions in Hyrule."

"…The spirit that was inside the Mask of Shadow? That's you?"

"Hmph, that prison? I was freed as soon as this vessel placed the mask on his face years ago."

"Is that what Maiku was for you? Just a vessel for you to control?!"

"The Vessel's hatred towards the man named Ganondorf was that thing that made him free me into him; it's his own doing…. I am the consequence. And now…. The person known as Maiku is still in this body, just aside from control."

"He welcomed you?"

"Yes, he was not as innocent as he appeared to be. He had a deep level of darkness in his heart before he came across me." 

"Well, let Maiku go! Give him back his body!"

"But first you must give me the Triforce that's inside you. Free it and give it to me!" 

"The Triforce inside me…? Is this what this is all about?"

"Now give it me, give me the second piece to the Triforce so then I can envelope this pitiful country into everlasting darkness and despair!!!!"

"No!" Link drew his sword, "I can't allow you to do that."

"So be it…." He growled, "…..  I'll just force it out of you then…." He bent his back bent forward as a pair of demon wings outspread to a length of 10 feet on each side. He shifted the position of his hand on the hilt of his sword and just glared at Link as he began to walk towards him slowly, almost menacingly. 

"Maiku!" Zelda screamed, "Don't give in to the darkness! Fight it! I know you don't want to do this, fight the darkness… never let it control you!" 

"Zelda!" Link yelled back at her, "What are you still doing here? Get out of here!" 

"I can't leave! There's no way to!" 

"Just stay back, alright!?" 

"Link! Watch out!"

"Huh?" Link glanced back toward the demon that was Maiku and barely managed to dodge as the red and black blade was thrusted towards his body. He threw himself to the ground and watched as the blade rushed over him; the demon's red eyes were now flaring like the very fires of Hell. He widened his eyes as it (the demon) brought its hand down and grabbed the front of his tunic and lifted him above its head, its eyes still flaring and burning into his very soul.  He struggled to get himself free and out of the demon's grasp, "Let me go dammit!" He reared back his leg and kicked his captor hard in the chest. 

He heard what seemed like a choked but echoed gasp from the demon and felt the firm grasp release from his tunic and he fell hard onto his back. He took the chance he was given and thrust the Master Sword into the body of the demon, it cried out in pain as the cold steel sliced into its heart and out of its back and surprisingly, it seemed weakened by the stab. It fell deeper into the blade, coming closer to Link even more than he'd want. 

Its body became limp as it came to rest on top of him, "Too easy…" he said quietly, "It can't be dead… not yet… It wouldn't give up on life after this…" He rolled it off of him onto its side and withdrew the sword from the demon's body. Just as he expected, its body began to convulse violently as its body muscles began to expand. "No!" 

Its claws became longer, and it seemed that its head was getting a mouth again… all at once its body began to glow in a dark red aura and then seemed to explode in a flash of light, causing him to shield his eyes. The light faded, and he found himself staring at the lower body of a monstrous beast. It seemed to be a mixture of a demon, and both Maiku's Zora and Hylian forms. Its massive legs appeared to be so powerful yet so graceful at the same time, its long and muscular arms had the same graceful appearance that its legs did. Even though its limbs were graceful, they were dangerous nonetheless…  

"I know that you're feeling tremendous pain, Maiku!" Link yelled, "I intend to help you with that, time to repay the debt!" He ran up to it, but it casually smacked him away. He landed on his side and rolled for about ten feet but he would not give in to die from such a simple attack. "Maiku!!" 

He ran faster, the demon appeared to be ready but before it could react, he slashed into its chest. Surprisingly enough, it did fall, but it didn't die, it just… fell to its knees. A large beam formed from where Zelda was, he glanced over to her. "Link! I'm using my power to hold him! Please, save him!" she screamed at him, "He really doesn't want this evil in him, purify his soul!" She fell to her knees as she stopped the beam. 

"Zelda! Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Smite his evil, for him and our futures! Seal his fate!"

"All right…" he walked up to the demon, "Well, I hope this really doesn't kill you, Maiku. You don't deserve death…" He raised the Master Sword above his head and hacked away at the demon, finally stabbing it through the chest. It let out a roar of agony and flailed around, when it finally stopped it fell to the ground and seemed to dissolve until the normal, bloody, Hylian form of Maiku replaced it, lying in a puddle of his own blood. 

"L-Link…" Maiku groaned as he began to cough up blood, "Is that… you?" 

"Yes…" Link grabbed his hand tightly, as if assuring the black haired young man that he was really there, "It is me."

He smiled, "I never thought I'd see you or Zelda again, being trapped in that evil body. It's good to see I didn't kill you."

"Maiku…" Zelda said as she approached them both, "You had no fault in it, it was the mask's doing."

"No, Zelda… It was my fault since the very beginning. I took the mask seven years ago, I killed the Happy Mask Shop owner, I killed all those people in Hyrule Town Market…. All because of my lust for power. I just wish that…"

"Yes?"

"I just wish that I can start all over again… with a clean slate, a new body…. If I can… I would like to be… With my Ruto again…."

"Stop talking like you are going to die, Maiku!"

"C'mon, Zelda… I really had no purpose here. You and Link are going to be fine without me… I was better off as a Zora, with Ruto, before Ganondorf killed her…" he opened his eyes wide, "…. I'd want everything to be reversed, but with me in a different place… a different life. I'd like to not be a cursed Hylian but rather I'd like to be a Zora…. again….." As he said his last word, he began to violently cough up blood. After it was over, he left his physical body as it was reduced to ether.


	41. Chapter 40: Preview of Mask of Shadow Se...

**Chapter 40: Preview of Mask of Shadow Sequel**

Maiku's spirit began to descend, but not back to his original state before he went into Hyrule. He has sent to the parallel dimension of Hyrule, Termina. And, it appears, that he got his wish… his new life started 17 years before Link's birth, and as a Zora. However, even though he did get his wish, he was still doomed to live a life as a Zora that was not exactly self-confident… especially since he was not born as an only child in the Zora community. He became the twin brother of the legendary guitarist Zora, Mikau… this was especially hard on Maiku because they both loved a certain girl. Because of this… all throughout their lives, they were continually striving to capture the attention of the beauty known as Lulu. Now, as he grew older their fighting was increased and this usually made Maiku run off to Clock Town and other areas except the Mountains… he would never go there. Until one day that he met a certain young boy, his life was a continuous bore…..

**Hey! If you like Legend of Zelda: The Mask of Shadow, then you'll also like the sequel to this great story. It centers around the story of Link's adventures in Termina in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and this time, Link will be guided and helped along the way by more people, but more importantly, Maiku. Of course, Link will be confused about it. Oh well, I'm not good at previews but… I hope you're excited about me making a sequel!!! I hope it'll be a lot better than this one! Stay tuned for it!!!**


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